Can VR improve experience of buying a car? Jaguar Land Rover thinks so

By Stephen Edelstein Published January 20, 2017

Shopping for a car can be an exhausting experience, but Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) thinks a little virtual reality can make it less of an ordeal.

The British automaker is experimenting with virtual reality as a way to let customers “see” new cars without having to physically open the door and plop down behind the wheel. Before the end of the month, JLR plans to ship “Virtual Reality Experience” kits to its U.S. dealers, who will use them to show customers the company’s new models.

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Customers will be able to strap on a VR headset and take a virtual tour of a car, even before it goes on sale, JLR says. The program will render a life-size model of any JLR vehicle, including 360-degree views of the interior. It will also include “animations” to showcase specific technical highlights of the vehicle.

“The VR Experience will … help retailers to break the ice with customers and inject even more fun into the process of buying our vehicles,” said Andy Goss, JLR’s sales operations director. Jaguar Land Rover is putting a lot of faith in VR to make what many people consider an arduous task more enjoyable. Consumers routinely criticize the carbuying experience in surveys.

JLR will offer the VR Experience at more than 1,500 retailers in 85 markets, encompassing 20 different languages. It tested the system during the U.K. launch of the Jaguar F-Pace, the brand’s first SUV. JLR plans to implement VR with each new vehicle launch, beginning with the 2018 Land Rover Discovery.

JLR isn’t the first carmaker to try to connect to customers via VR. Volvo has experimented with using VR at dealerships, and Cadillac is reportedly considering something similar. Ford, which uses VR for vehicle-development purposes, launched a VR app last year as a promotional tool for things like its Le Mans race program.

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Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Cars

You can now lease a Hyundai EV on Amazon—and snag that $7,500 tax credit

amazon autos hyundai evs lease ioniq 6 n line seoul mobility show 2025 mk08

Amazon has changed how we shop for just about everything—from books to furniture to groceries. Now, it’s transforming the way we lease cars. Through Amazon Autos, you can now lease a brand-new Hyundai entirely online—and even better, you’ll qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit if you choose an electric model like the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, or Kona EV.
Here’s why that matters: As of January 2025, Hyundai’s EVs no longer qualify for the tax credit if you buy them outright, due to strict federal rules about battery sourcing and final assembly. But when you lease, the vehicle is technically owned by the leasing company (Hyundai Capital), which allows it to be classified as a “commercial vehicle” under U.S. tax law—making it eligible for the credit. That savings is typically passed on to you in the form of lower lease payments.
With Amazon’s new setup, you can browse Hyundai’s EV inventory, secure financing, trade in your current vehicle, and schedule a pickup—all without leaving the Amazon ecosystem.
It’s available in 68 markets across the U.S., and pricing is fully transparent—no hidden fees or haggling. While Hyundai is so far the only automaker fully participating, more are expected to join over time.
Pioneered by the likes of Tesla, purchasing or leasing vehicles online has been a growing trend since the Covid pandemic.
A 2024 study by iVendi found that 74% of car buyers expect to use some form of online process for their next purchase. In fact, 75% said online buying met or exceeded expectations, with convenience and access to information cited as top reasons. The 2024 EY Mobility Consumer Index echoed this trend, reporting that 25% of consumers now plan to buy their next vehicle online—up from 18% in 2021. Even among those who still prefer to finalize the purchase at a dealership, 87% use online tools for research beforehand.
Meanwhile, Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study reveals that while 86% of U.S. consumers still want to test-drive a vehicle in person, digital tools are now a critical part of the buying journey.
Bottom line? Amazon is making it easier than ever to lease an EV and claim that tax credit—without the dealership hassle. If you're ready to plug in, it might be time to add to cart.

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The 6.8-inch Pioneer digital media receiver installed in a vehicle's dashboard.

Google appears to be getting ready to sends its Gemini AI into cars through an Android Automotive update.

This would make sense as Android Automotive already uses Google's Assistant to help with those much-needed in-car hands-free requests.

Cars

Watch from the passenger seat as the new Porsche 911 GT3 sets a record at the Nürburgring

911 GT3 with Weissach Package (Manual Transmission), Nürburgring Nordschleife 2025, Porsche AG

If you've ever wanted to race at top speeds around one of the most iconic racetracks in the world, then now is your chance. A new Porsche 911 GT3 just set a record for the fastest time around the Nürburgring in a road car with a manual transmission, knocking almost 10 seconds off the previous best time. And Porsche has released a video of the run filmed from the cockpit, so you can experience the thrills for yourself.

The record was set by legendary driver and Porsche brand ambassador Jörg Bergmeister at the wheel of a 911 GT3 with the Weissach package, setting a time of 6:56.294. That's 9.5 seconds ahead of the previous record set by the Dodge Viper ACR in 2017 -- though there's some math involved in these time calculations as the track was reconfigured in 2019.