Mazda MX-5 RF test drive

The Mazda MX-5 RF is iconic, so its virtual test drive needed to be equally legendary. Commissioned by Lively Agency for Mazda, we created two immersive test drives through Italy, Iceland, and the French Riviera. Our goal was to create an unforgettable experience that drives customers to their dealership – so, to make the experience stand out, we leveraged VR's endless potential to create an out-of-this world virtual drive that’s as thrilling as taking the real wheel.

For the first test drive, users embarked on a thrilling 360º race around the Italian Alps, transitioning into a colourful CGI dreamscape inspired by Mazda’s ‘drive together’ philosophy, before returning to the road. We filmed the real drive in 360º and inserted a CGI car to create a highly realistic, immersive feel.

The nationwide retail tour was such a success, Lively asked us to create a second virtual test drive. This time, we started in Iceland and moved to the French Riviera, filming the roadster in 360º and merging it with a 3D interior and green-screen actor. The drive included portals between locations, showcasing the car’s all-weather capabilities and highlighting its key features with multilingual callouts.

This time we made the drive even more immersive by adding 4D effects. Users sat in a real Mazda MX-5 RF with headsets, enhanced by rumble speakers for engine vibration, in-car BOSE sound, a 5:1 surround system for spatial audio, and fans and heat bulbs to mimic roof-down driving. An iPad-controlled app synced playback and 4D effects, and collected analytical data for Mazda. The setup was assembled in Vienna and then toured Europe as part of Lively’s wider strategy, helping attract over 350K engaged visitors and generate 3.5K leads.