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vDream is a social networking application for car enthusiasts, aficionados, admirers, and fans. It allows you to build an almost exact replica of your dream car which you can modify and tune with parts and accessories that will affect the car in the same way it would affect it in the real world. Want to strip the carburetor out of your '66 Camaro and replace it with a fuel injection kit? You'll see the same performance increase in vDream as you would in your actual '66 Camaro (you have one, right?). With your new souped-up and stripped down car (who needs back seats when you're racing!), you can take yourself down to the track to challenge your friends or any of the top go-getters on the leader board. Winning a race will net you cold hard vDollars that you can spend on super-charging your Camaro, or getting some sweet fuzzy dice for the rear-view mirror.

As an application for people who enjoy cars, many of the shapes, textures, placement of elements, and materials came straight out of the interior of actual cars. Our original concept had several "themes" for generic types of cars (the old American classic car, the cutting edge super tech Asian car, and the elegant luxury European car, to name a few), but we've currently built just one theme, which we call the "Bentley Theme". The warm tones, rich leathers, and brushed aluminum metal work come out of the interiors of the 2005 Bentley Continental GT Mulliner, the 2006 Bentley Azure Convertible, the 2008 Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead (and I'm totally with James May that it may be the coolest car in the world), and a bit of the Bugatti Veyron (which is the coolest car in the world).

2005 Bentley Continental GT Mulliner

2006 Bentley Azure Convertable

2008 Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead

Bugatti Veyron gauges

Why were these cars chosen to draw parts and pieces from? A luxury car's interior strives to provide you with critical information without taking the joy out of driving. I felt that the interiors from these cars were the best examples of that, there weren't a thousand blinking lights (I'm looking at you Ferrari) to detract from the honest to goodness sexiness of the engine under the hood, or the way the power from that engine interacts with the road. The information you look for in your dash is there when you need it, and falls away when you just want to be on the road. I'd assume, if I ever had enough money to actually own a luxury European automobile, it would fit you like a really nice expensive pair of denim jeans.

I'm proud to say that vDream is doing well, and I couldn't have had more fun working with a subject that I enjoy so much. We cleared the first round of the FacebookFund contestants, and won $25,000. Although we didn't make it through the second round, we learned much from all the other incredible FacebookFund contestants, and have many new improvements and additions you'll be seeing in the year to come.

Do you use Facebook? Add the vDream app!

vDream is also available on:

• MySpace

• bebo

Car Interior Photos via SeriousWheels.com