You know the type – always talking about tyre pressures, fuel efficiency, and what speed they took the last sector at. Here are twelve gifts for the motorsport mad that definitely aren’t the pits.
Lego Technic Ferrari 488 GTE
R3 590 / greatyellowbrick.co.za
Combine a love of engineering and motorsport in one gift with this Technics Ferrari 488 GTE. It’ll take some time to assemble its 1 677 pieces into a race-spec Ferrari but the included features, including a moving V8 engine, working suspension and doors, and a functional steering wheel will make the journey a worthwhile one.
This is a stick-up
Lego’s Ferrari replica comes loaded with stickers that re-create the look of the Italian endurance racer. Bit finicky, though.
Suspension disbelief
Both the front and rear wheels have working suspension, which you can point out as it sits motionless on a shelf.
Secretary of interior
The opening doors are only good for one thing – peering inside at the hugely detailed interior you’ve assembled.
Gas Can Hip Flask
R415 / reliablestore.co.za
It should go without saying that this gift shouldn’t be used prior to operating a moving vehicle but it’s just the thing to keep on a desk next to a whisky tumbler. Once the smell of exhaust has been showered out, it’ll be time to pour out fuel of a different kind. Or keep it in the car, filled with nartjie Energade.
Leatherman Wave+
R2500 / outdoorwarehouse.co.za
You’ll only strip an engine with one of these if you’re very persistent, but it’s always handy to have a pocketable multitool on hand. Leatherman’s contender here has eighteen options, including two pliers and two wire cutters – just the thing for roadside jerry rigs.
Garmin Catalyst
R20 000 / garmin.com
Want your beloved to be the most serious contender at the track day? Stash a Garmin Catalyst inside their ride, so they can show off crisp lap times and race lines, shave seconds thanks to an on-board coach, and have numbers to back the brag at the end of the event.
Arrow Leather Apron
R990 / yuppiechef.com
If you’re not wearing a canvas-and-leather apron while you’re working on your wheels, then you’re not spending enough time under the sump-plug. This one’s suitable for use in the kitchen but it’s also hard-wearing enough that you can fill its pockets with sockets and spanners just as easily.
Bell Race Star DLX
R11 800/ fc-moto.de
A track day isn’t a track day unless you have an exquisitely engineered brain bucket protecting your melon. Bell’s Race Star is designed for the enthusiast, features 3k carbon fiber, an advanced liner, and enough safety features to keep your skull uncracked in a crash.
Jaguar Experience
From R2 700 / jaguar.co.za
Can’t afford an actual Jaguar? You probably can afford to spend a half or full day in one at the Jaguar Land Rover Experience in Johannesburg. Dynamic or defensive driving are on offer, both of which are well worth experiencing in the flesh.
Franzis Ford Mustang V8 Engine
R5 500 / gpmodels.co.za
There’s something deeply sexy about a V8 engine, but not everyone has mechanic’s hands. Splurge on a partly transparent desktop version of the original Mustang V8, that assembles its 200 bits without glue and plays a recording of the real deal when you fiddle with it after.
Makita Impact Wrench
From R8 700 | builders.co.za
Feel like an F1 mechanic hot-swapping slicks in the pit with this powerful wireless impact wrench that’ll twist nuts off in seconds. Feel even more like you’re taking part in pricey motorsports when you realise you must buy the battery and charger separately.
BMW 8011 Chronograph
R6 600 / watchrepublic.co.za
With looks ripped straight from a German sedan’s dashboard, this two-tone stainless-steel chunk of wristwear will cheerfully adorn the arm of your speed-loving recipient. It doesn’t do much beyond tell the time while looking expensive, but that’s all you need.
Anker Roav
R1 600 / takealot.com
You needn’t come alive at the whiff of gasoline to pack one of these handy little gadgets in a boot. If you’re still using a starter motor (and most of us are), occasionally you’re caught by a flat battery. This compact jump starter will help get your to the garage for a replacement
Ram X-Grip Phone Mount
From R1 640 / rammount.co.za
Ram has a massive catalogue of mounting devices for everything from bikes to boats to helicopters, but for tech-obsessed speed-freaks, the X-Grip handles modern-day oversized smartphones. Just pick a connection from adhesive, suction cup, or something more permanent and you’re set.
