To strap a GoPro action camera on the roof of a racing car to give fans a unique perspective isn't anything groundbreaking any more.
But Subaru upped the ante recently by filming a race in an interactive 360-degree view on a virtual reality-ready video. The result is an awesome glimpse of a 2015 Subaru WRX STI ripping and running through the woods during the recent Lake Superior Performance Rally, which is the final round of the Rally American National Championship season.
The 360-degree view is so enthralling that viewers can look through the roof to peer into both sides of the car and see the kind of maneuvering it takes for a top-notch driver to excel on the rally circuit.
For the optimal user experience, Subaru advises to download its free Subaru Motorsports app and switch it into virtual reality mode, inserting your iOS or Android smartphone in VR head-mounted display — like Google Cardboard — to fully immerse yourself in the revved-up action. You can watch it on YouTube here as well, especially since the website started supporting 360-degree in March.
The view through the cabin, as the WRX STI roars through the forests at high speeds is particularly unique, as you see the driver David Higgins shift gears, while co-driver Craig Drew takes notes on a notepad.
By the end of the race, Higgins and Drew were celebrating the circuit's first undefeated season in 28 years. Now, that's worth seeing in this 360-degree view and especially in virtual reality, if possible.
