It's the most wonderful time of the year...unless you have no idea what you're doing. Buying the right gifts can be a nightmare. No one wants to see the fake smile and "Th-th-thanks, I love it." When that someone is a car lover, finding the perfect present can be hard. There's only so many Top Gear DVDs and Clarkson books you can buy. So what can you do? Luckily, we've put together a fantastic list of Petrolhead Christmas Gift ideas to drive the car lover in your family wild.
For the Film Buff
This year saw the cinema release of the seventh film in the Fast and Furious series. The unstoppable global blockbuster had a bittersweet tinge this year, with it being the last film of the late great Paul Walker. So what better way to please the car lover in your family with the complete box-set of Fast and Furious films 1-7? Over thirteen hours of high speed chases, drifting, Nitrous Oxide, and car crime. You’ll also see some of the most beautiful and exotic cars ever made, such as the Lykan Hypersport. The perfect series for any car lover.
Price: £24.99 DVD, £28.00 Blu-ray.
For the Mod-Mad
If the car lover you know is particularly determined to start tinkering with the engine, then you may want to get them booked on a course. Check your local colleges for evening classes that can teach you the difference between a carburettor and a catalytic converter. If they really want to go all out, then the Engine Management Academy have a range of engine tuning courses available. So they can re-map their little Vauxhall Corsa into something a little more beastly.
For the Dreamer
Every petrol head has that one super car that they always dream of driving. Could be the Bugatti Veyron or a Ferrari California. So the book evo: Supercars - Behind the Wheel provides a stunning insight into what it's like to drive one of the top 100 supercars of all time. Filled with stunning glossy images, this is the perfect gift for someone who dreams of one day owning a supercar.
Price: £17.00 from Amazon
If you know what their dream car is, you could always go one step further and book them on a supercar experience day? Available from companies such as wish.co.uk, these gift packages give someone the chance to get behind the wheel of their dream car.
For the F1 Purist
Two great films released in recent years should already be on any self respecting motorsport fans DVD shelf. Senna, the stunning documentary on quite possibly the greatest F1 driver of all time - Ayrton Senna. And Rush, the surprisingly great film looking at the F1 rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Less well known is "1 - Life on the Limit". Narrated by Michael Fassbender, the film looks at F1 history with some of the greatest F1 drivers in . Makes for a perfect compliment to the more famous "Senna" and "Rush".
Price: £5.40 on DVD
For the Motorsport Nut
F1 is not the only sport, so you might be struggling to find something for a different kind of race fan. Tickets for MotoGP are much more affordable than Formula One, with early bird tickets as low as £65 for an adult 3 day pass. WRC also has some excellent ticket prices, with Rally Wales passes available for £99 across all four stages and includes access to special events and displays. For a somewhat less polished version of motorsport, why not treat someone to a trip to a banger race? With events held regularly across the country, a night full of crashes, bangs and wallops would be a unique and surprising gift.
For the Military Enthusiast
There's always one relative or friend who loves his military hardware. Whether it's being able to identify the make and model of a tank just by looking at its treads, or constantly lamenting the sad demise of the Vulcan bomber, they always have something to say when it comes to war machines. So why not give them something to really talk about with a tank driving experience day? Get behind the controls of a ten tonne killing machine and then take it for a spin. Some experiences even let you crush a car or fire its cannon (converted safely to paintballs of course).
For the Culture Vulture
Looking for something for the more sophisticated petrol head? You can pick up some fantastic art prints online for very reasonable prices. A quick search online will introduce you to a variety of fantastic artists. Some of our favourites include Tim Cook aka Popbangcolour, who creates stunning car artwork by using remote controlled and toy cars as paint brushes. Tim Layzell creates beautiful vintage style artwork that would add a splash of stylish colour to any wall. And Guy Allen, creates clean, colourful illustrations of classic cars. A print from any of these fine artists would be a surprising and beautiful gift.
Websites: PopBangColour, Tim Layzell, Guy Allen
And for the Budding Petrol Head
You may want to nurture the love of cars in your young children. Perhaps you will buy them Pixar's "Cars" on DVD, or buy them some hot wheels. Or you can get them one of these bad boys...
This electric BMW X5 is every little car lover's dream. Cruise around the garden or down to the park in style, in this baby beamer. Unfortunately they don't make them big enough for adults (unless you want to buy the real thing).
Price: £149.99 from Smyths toystore.
Note: All prices correct at time of posting.
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