Prospective participants will go to Motoratilife.com and enter their car culture proposal. Pontiac will review the proposed projects and apportion land to users whose projects are selected. Motorati Island will open next month on Second Life. The Web site will also allow people to travel within Motorati without being members of Second Life, the creation of Linden Labs with a membership base growing at a rate of 20 percent per month.

Mark-Hans Richer, marketing director at Pontiac, said the deal is part of the brand's efforts to avoid a simple sponsorship.

"Our approach isn't to be a 'me too, marketer' and simply have a presence in the space. Rather, we want to empower the car community in Second Life and develop with them in a unique and meaningful manner," Richer said, in a release. "We aren't completely creating the experience -- the Second Life users are. We're just providing the inspiration."

The involvement includes a virtual dealership selling virtual Pontiacs that can be tested on virtual race tracks, modified with virtual after-market accessories, and shown to the virtual community.

The company said the Pontiac Garage stage that the company erected in Times Square, on top of its Super Sign, will be replicated in the virtual world.

"We envision weekly competitive driving events, drive-in theaters playing car related films, film studios, car-themed fashion shows, live concerts, drive-in restaurants, you name it," said Tor Myhren, evp and executive creative director of Leo Burnett, Detroit, in the release. "If an idea relates to any aspect of car culture, we intend to give the community the means to make it happen."

This news story is important. I recommend that everyone read it.