Can’t afford a Huracan? Samsung’s Gear VR lets you get behind the (virtual) wheel

By Andrew Hard March 6, 2015

Lamborghini Huracan — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Lamborghini Huracan LP 610, with its onslaught of Italian horsepower and symphony of mechanical rage, is quite a nice car. It’s a nice car to look at, it’s a nice car to drive, and it’s quite simply a nice car to be seen in.

Unfortunately for most of us, $237,250 is just a smidge out of our price range. You could spend $4,995 on a one-day, professionally instructed driving school, but Samsung has an even cheaper way of getting behind the Huracan’s flat-bottom wheel. Sort of.

At the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, Samsung and Lamborghini are showcasing a virtual driving experience that incorporates the Samsung Gear VR and the aforementioned ‘Hurricane.’

Wearing the Galaxy Note 4-equipped headset, visitors simply plop down into the LP 610’s bucket seat and travel to “a totally different virtual reality dimension, one where they can enjoy the thrill of speed and fulfill the dream of being a racing driving in a unique and unforgettable way.”

Once connected, Samsung’s VR unit will display three courses: ‘Sport,’ a sun-soaked route along Italy’s Amalfi Coast, ‘Strada,’ a windy road through the town of Amalfi, and ‘Corsa,’ a nail-biting rendering of the iconic Imola racetrack.

Samsung Gear VR — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Though the Gear VR is available to buy now, the company didn’t specify if the drive routes would be available for download or purchase after the event.

Lamborghini isn’t the first automaker to integrate virtual reality into the driving experience. In January, Audi announced the Audi Virtual Reality Experience, which brings the showroom to your living room.

Also using a Samsung Gear VR, Audi’s program gives users a virtual walk-around, interior inspection, and a simulated ride-along in select vehicles. The German brand reportedly recorded 30 million renderings of the Audi A3 and Audi S3 to make this possible.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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