Your last-minute car-themed Christmas gift guide

Today at 01:00 PM

Christmas day is just around the corner and if you're still scratching your head thinking about how to stuff the stocking of your petrolhead loved one, fear not – Drive's Christmas gift guide is here to help.

There are endless ways to show your love in a materialistic fashion, but we've distilled down some of the best gift ideas for any car lover. As die-hard car nuts, these are some of the gifts that we’d love as gifts ourselves. So, you’re in good hands with this list.

Let us know in the comments below what’ll be under your Christmas tree come Wednesday December 25, 2024.

Lego sets

It'd be wrong to kick-off an automotive-themed gift guide without mentioning Lego first. It's a one-size-fits-all kind of gift idea that appeals to young kids, or even adults young at heart.

The good news is that car-themed Lego kits are plentiful and there are myriad price points to consider. The Lego Speed Champions series is priced around the $30-$40 mark and will take all of an hour to build, but the complexity, detail, and price point go up from there.

Consider picking up the Ford Mustang Dark Horse Lego Speed Champions set which is faithfully rendered in brick form, or check out the cool classic Land Rover Defender Lego Icons set if you've got more cash to spend.

Gran Turismo 7/Forza Motorsport

Racing games are a surefire way to foster a budding automotive enthusiast and, if nothing else, either Gran Turismo 7 (PlayStation) or Forza Motorsport (Xbox) will keep them entertained over the Christmas break.

Though these two racing simulator titles are now a couple of years old, the game developers continue to update them to ensure they stay relevant with new cars, new events, and new parts to modify cars.

We've previous had a go at each title (Forza, Gran Turismo), so be sure to read our coverage to find out how much fun we had.

Car-cleaning kit

A car-cleaning kit is a no-brainer for anyone – whether they're a petrolhead or not. It might not be as quick and convenient as the automatic wash, but by doing it yourself you'll not only do a far better job, but you're less likely to damage the paint too.

Any automotive superstore will be able to help out and guide you towards a kit at the right price point. Naturally, the more money you spend, the higher the quality of the products. But, even Big W sells the Armor All Clean Car Value Kit for $29.

Autodromo watch

This present does lean towards the pricey side, but you're getting a solid product in return. The Autodromo brand was founded by a product designer who re-embraced his petrolhead side to create car-themed watches and apparel.

Each of the watch dials is designed to mimic the instrumentation and gauges of vintage sports cars, so if you can spot an elements of old Veglia gauges in the designs, you're not wrong.

If one of the watches is too much money, Autodromo has a range of retro-themed clothes and accessories worth checking out for your car-loving nut.

Ride-on Ford Ranger for kids

We're huge fans of the Ford Ranger at Drive and have often thought more of the public should be able to appreciate it too. So, when we first came across this kids-spec ride-on Ford Ranger earlier this year, we had to have a go.

It's a fully-licenced miniature rendition that's had the sign-off from Ford itself and it even features working headlights like the real thing. Kids can drive themselves to venture off the beaten path, or parents can control the Ford Ranger using the remote control.

Driver training

We're strong proponents of driver training at Drive and we believe that you're never too old – or too young – to learn new techniques.

Drive has known the team at Driver Dynamics for well over a decade and many of us have experienced their extensive programmes first-hand. Driver Dynamicsoffers a range of practical classes to improve your defensive driving skills.

There are even specific courses that teach you how to drift or do stunts. Courses begin around the $300 mark, but this is arguably one thing that you shouldn't skimp on.

Tickets to the 2025 Australian Grand Prix

If you haven't heard, the Australian Grand Prix will be the first race of the 2025 Formula 1 calendar. It's getting harder and harder to attend as a Formula 1 fan considering how wildly popular the category has become over the last five years.

However, there are still opportunities to visit next year's event. Tickets – both grandstand and general admission – are on sale now for Thursday and Friday, while more tickets will become available for Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm on 19 December 2024.  

The post Your last-minute car-themed Christmas gift guide appeared first on Drive.