What to get your young petrolhead for Christmas

Is your child mad about motor cars? If you’ve noticed that junior is really into jalopies, here are a few gift ideas to put under the tree for young petrolheads:

LEGO TECHNIC JEEP WRANGLER

Apart from being a compelling reason not to walk around your home with bare feet, Lego is a perennially favourite pastime of children. For offspring that are fans of off-roading, what better way to make their Christmas dreams come true than with a Lego Technic model of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon?

Designed to emulate the iconic look, design and legendary off-road capabilities of the actual vehicle, this first-ever Lego model of a Jeep SUV is ready to face any epic play box adventure.

The 665-piece kit recreates the Wrangler’s high-performance 4x4 systems, rugged tyres, fold-down rear seats and classic seven-slot grille.

A button-operated front-steering system and powerful axle-articulation suspension allows the assembled model to be tested on obstacles everywhere. The eye-catching, yellow-and-black colour scheme is captivating in action or on display.

It’s priced at $49.99 (R730) and available from lego.com or Lego stores.

LEGO TECHNIC MCLAREN SENNA GTR

For youngsters more starry-eyed about sports cars, look no further than this recreation of McLaren’s ultimate track-taming supercar.

Named after the late, great triple Formula One world champion Ayrton, the roadgoing McLaren Senna is the ultimate track car that’s still (just) road legal, but there’s a track-only GTR iteration of which only 75 are being built around the world.

Extreme to the core like its 588kW real-life counterpart, the new Lego Technic McLaren Senna GTR provides the ultimate thrill for sports car lovers and motorsport fans looking for their next building challenge.

The 830-piece model makes no compromises when it comes to engineering or style. The model is the first McLaren supercar to be recreated in Lego Technic form and is designed to provide the ultimate building thrill for those aged 10 and above. It is priced at $49,99 (R730).

MERCEDES-BENZ X-CLASS RIDE ON

Young drivers aged 3-8 years can start their motoring journey with the Ride On Mercedes X-Class. They’ll love whizzing around on this fully functional electric car with a 12V rechargeable battery and remote control.

Like its life-size double cab counterpart it features a touchscreen entertainment centre, LED lights, and leather padded seats. Safety-conscious parents will be glad to know it has a safety harness too.

It’s available at www.chelino.co.za and priced at R8,600.