Now, visitors to Google Earth can view a replica of the soon-to-be city landmark in 3D.

It's the brainchild of Sam Sibai of Homelife Response Realty, a sales agent for The Absolute World tower, the building's actual name.

"Being able to zoom around the site in 3D gives potential buyers a really strong sense of place, even before actual construction has begun," said Sibai.

In a unique twist, Sibai will give away a real version of the virtual BMW 325i that sits in front of the Google Earth version of The Absolute World.

The winner will be chosen in a draw among the first condo buyers.

Fernbrook Homes, the Mississauga builder responsible for the development at the northeast corner of Hurontario St. and Burnhamthorpe Rd., has given its stamp of approval to the image. The image was created by CanadaPlacemarks.com, a Vancouver company specializing in marketing applications of Google Earth for tourism and real estate industries.

To view the virtual image, visit www.condosky.com.

"We're pleased about the level of craftsmanship and attention to detail," said Fernbrook CEO Danny Salvatore. "Building virtual real estate on Google Earth is a natural evolution of our marketing efforts."

The Absolute World tower was designed by Beijing architectural firm MAD, founded by Yansong Ma, whose submission was chosen from among six finalists in an international competition.

Sale of the condos, with prices in the low $200,000s for a one-bedroom unit, begins June 10. Construction is slated to start late this year and could be completed by 2009.