11 great gifts to buy a petrolhead this festive season

From in-car coffee machines to lovely tees and a drifting course, here are some gift ideas for those with petrol in their veins.

1. Aston Martin polo shirt

Nothing brings up a smile to a lady than luxurious, bright wares - be it diamonds or a luminous green Aston Martin AMR T-shirt. The colour is synonymous with the British brand’s racing wing and is adorned with official Aston AMR partner logos. It’s a winner for style. It costs R1,056 at www.shop.astonmartin.com

2. Porsche knitted baby steering wheel

Start them young. This knitted Porsche steering wheel with embroidered buttons and Porsche Crest is the perfect way to steer your cub into tasteful automotive choices. It’s made of 90% cotton + 2% viscose + 3% polyester and is machine washable at 30°C. Visit www.porsche.com for pricing.

3. Ray Bans by Scuderia Ferrari

Sunglasses are a non-negotiable must-have in sunny SA. These new additions to Ray-Ban’s catalogue are distinguished by a super lightweight metal frame, bold double bridge and coloured temple tips that can be had in a variety of colours, including this awesome yellow and crystal lenses adorned with Ray-Ban and Scudetto Ferrari logos. They cost R1,731 at www.store.ferrari.com.

4. Mercedes-Benz nail polish set

This is not merely branded nail polish from Mercedes-Benz. Inside the three-set bottle is polish that matches original Mercedes-Benz paintwork options: Jupiter Red and Brilliant Blue, which adorn many a Mercedes, while the Orange Brown is a classic hue famously available in the G63. Visit www.mercedes-benz-classic-store.com.

5. Lego Nissan GT-R Nismo

Why not inspire the little tykes by turning them into pint-sized "takumis" — the specialised craftsmen that build GT-Rs — and teach them about engineering and how to create things in real life by building their own 298-piece Lego Nissan GT-R Nismo. It costs R450 at www.takealot.com.

6. Handpresso!

We all know of a few coffee addicts who simply can’t function until a shot of caffeine courses through their veins. This nifty hand-held, in-car espresso machine would make the perfect gift: they need not rush to the office and can instead sip happily while still stuck in traffic. Priced at R1,669 from www.fruugo.com.

7. Senna Tag Heuer

Tag Heuer has once more paid homage to legendary driver Ayrton Senna with an updated take of the existing range that honours racing legends. It features a polished steel case with black ceramic bezel engraved with “S” and the name of the driver. Red has been applied in touches to the indexes and the central hand, while Senna's legendary yellow helmet with black and green stripes, has been engraved on the case back. It’s the perfect gift for a Senna or Formula 1 fanatic.

It costs about R65,000 at www.tagheuer.com.

8. The Sound of Supercars

This book "sounds" very interesting. It’s primarily aimed at young car nuts, but there's no reason why a grown adult wouldn’t enjoy or appreciate what it has to offer. It’s a collection of facts on the world’s famously fast cars and also recreates their notable exhaust notes.  These include, among many others, the sounds of the Bugatti Chiron.

It costs about R179 at www.amazon.uk.

9. Xbox One X

Home gaming has been enhanced with the packaging of game consoles offering a variety of game titles to match tastes. So your squad is not the soccer or strategy-game type? How about this petrolhead combo of the most powerful game console right now: the Microsoft Xbox One X with not only one but two of the best driving games, Forza 4 Horizon and Forza 7 Motorsport. This should help to while away the holidays. It costs about R10,000 at www.takealot.com.

10. Thule lugagge box

This is the perfect gift for friends whose active lifestyles are mostly thwarted by owning small cars that offer little in the way of cargo space. Lifestyle accessory specialists Thule offers a neat luggage box aimed at the small "crossover" segment. The Touring M range is rated at 400l, which doubles up luggage space for small SUVs and features a fast-click, quick-mount system to any car fitted with roof rails. It also has DualSide opening for convenient loading and unloading. It costs R9,200 at www.thulestore.co.za.

11. XS Drift course

What petrolhead doesn’t dream of being a pro-drifter? This fantasy can become reality with a drifting course offered by the XS Drift school in Midrand. Different packages are tailored for different skill sets - from novice to the truly committed - and are typically held at motorsport facilities for safe and comfortable edutainment. Either way, this is an astonishing gift, providing both memories and driving skills that will linger in the mind and limbs of the lucky recipient for a long time. Prices start from about R4,000 per person at www.xsdrift.co.za.