2014 Volkswagen iBeetle ushers in new smart phone integration... and potential distraction

Infotainment late-bloomer Volkswagen is releasing a comprehensive iPhone app that will allow users to stream Internet radio, socially network, and more. And to celebrate, they're planning a special-edition Beetle that will connect to it, called iBeetle.

In conjunction with a dashboard mount for the iPhone and a connection to the car's USB port on the iBeetle, Das App offers:

• Spotify Internet radio


• Verbal Facebook and Twitter feeds


• A "Postcard" feature that can update others on the car's location


• A photo function that can automatically take pictures while driving and post them to social networks


• Games that allow drivers to compare mpg and other driving parameters with other users


• A scavenger hunt


• Expert mode that can display additional gauges, such as oil and coolant temp, and a G-meter.

It all sounds like great fun, so long as drivers can keep the car pointed between the lines, despite the distractions.

The special-edition 2014 iBeetle will be offered as a convertible or coupe, in a variety of somber, phone-like colors spanning the spectrum from white to gray to black, with or without metallic effect. While the Volkswagen app is launching in the Beetle early next year, expect it to roll out widely across Volkswagen's lineup. (Read our complete Volkswagen Beetle road test.)