PEUGEOT ISLAND -- Peugeot Island is welcoming SL residents to test drive its new concept car, the 308 RC Z coupe on a joyride over an elevated race course, passing through tree topped hills, a waterfall and an aquarium. Peugeot is the latest in a series of car manufacturers to use Second Life to extend its brand. A full racing outfit and helmet come as a freebie.

The island and 27-prim car is designed by SLDimension, a French contend developer company, based in Toulouse. The administrative building in the center is an adaptation of Automotive Design Network Center of Peugeot, near Paris. On the island, two hostesses, Noemie and Alexie, meet visitors and take them on a tour of the showroom. On the ground floor, technical details and a video are available for the 308 RC Z. The car's engine in real life produces 218 horsepower and is capable of going 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 7 seconds. The first floor is reserved for the new concept car Flux, designed by an Italian, Mihai Panaitescu, and won the fourth Peugeot Design Contest. The second floor is a terrace reserved for future special events and receptions.

Arnaud Perrier Gustin, Peugeot's Director of Communications, is Arno Auer in Second Life. “We have been thinking about a presence in SL for months and wanted to offer avatars a nice island with a real adventure. Peugeot is a dynamic and innovative brand. We encourage residents to send us messages with ideas, wishes and proposals,” Gustin says.

He told SLNN.com that this was a great opportunity for publicity, within the budget of a Web site, and added “Our first achievement is to discover the SL environment. We will see and figure out if this will be a way of living in the future. For the moment SL is an institutional medium for us to communicate and let our brand be known. We are not planning a purchasing option. The success of Peugeot Island and demand of the residents will determine our plans to extend. Perhaps this is just the beginning of a love story with SL.”

Other famous automotive brands, such as Pontiac, Nissan and Toyota, and Mercedes Benz have a presence in Second Life. These manufacturers provide purchasing and modifying options for their cars.