Tonino Lamborghini releases 3 million won phone

Tonino Lamborghini’s Alpha-One smartphone. [DASAN NETWORKS]

A Lamborghini-branded luxury smartphone will go on sale in the Korean market today with a hefty price tag of 3 million won ($2,680).

The limited-edition Android phone under the name Alpha-One of Tonino Lamborghini will be produced by Dasan Networks, a Korean manufacturer of IT devices.

Tonino Lamborghini is a premium lifestyle brand with product portfolios ranging from watches and eyewear to mobile devices and was founded by the eponymous heir of the Lamborghini fortune in 1981. In Korea, the brand has a shop at the Hanam Starfield mall in Gyeonggi.

In September, Dasan Networks said it would release smartphones and smartwatches in the local market. Its merchandising affiliate, Korasia, had obtained exclusive rights to create Tonino Lamborghini-branded IT products.

The release of the lavish phone comes two years after the launch of its limited-edition predecessor, the Tauri88, which cost $6,000. The Alpha-One will be priced lower than the previous phone, but it will still be about two to three times more expensive than a run-of-the-mill Apple iPhone or Samsung Galaxy.

The Alpha-One is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 processor and contains 64 gigabytes of storage. The surface is cast in so-called liquid metal, which is more durable than titanium and often used to make surgeon’s knives and premium golf clubs. The phone’s back will be covered in handmade Italian leather, according to Tonino Lamborghini.

Lamborghini, the automaker, has other collaborations in store with Korean companies. On Thursday, it signed a contract with Bodyfriend, a local manufacturer of massage chairs, and is preparing to launch a series of collaborative products next year.

The Korean company has earned exclusive rights to use the Lamborghini name on its chairs until 2021.

The first product, the BF-290, will be modeled off the Lamborghini Aventador in exterior design, material, leather sheets and lighting. It will even mimic the sound of the car’s engines.

BY kim jee-hee [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]