AKQA, VW launch the 2010 GTI via iPhone

No 30 second spots showing cars cruising down scenic highways or downtown streets with neon lights reflected across the hood. In fact no TV spot at all. Volkswagen and AKQA San Francisco have united to launch the new 2010 VW GTI entirely as an iPhone application — apparently the first time ever that a car has done so.

The app includes a virtual showroom to present all of the cool specs and features of the car, plus Real Racing GTI, a racing game licensed from Melbourne based game developer Freemint. And if you’re in the US, downloading the app and playing the game puts you in contention for winning one of six tricked out GTIs.

How effective will this app be when it comes to selling cars? Only time will tell, but think of all the PR they’ll get for being the first to launch a car in the Apple Apps Store. Hell, it got me talking about it, and I don’t even own an iPhone.