13 Cool Gifts for Car Enthusiasts
Unless you’re going to get the gearhead in your life a new car this year – which is a great idea but perhaps not practical – buying them something they’ll actually want can be tricky. But, fear not, we’ve got you – each of these 13 gifts for car enthusiasts are surefire winners.
Boss x Porsche
This is the fourth collab between these two German powerhouses, arriving for F/W 2020. Highlights include a black winter jacket that reverses into a glossy red puffer, and a mercerized cotton hoody that’s perfect for Sunday drives. The branding is subtle and the jackets have thoughtful details, like a key pocket on the left side, which matches the unusual left-hand ignition that has been a quirk of Porsche cars since the brand’s earliest days.
Price: varies, hugoboss.com
Junya Watanabe x Abarth
This isn’t his first automotive-inspired collection from the Japanese fashion designer, who works under the Comme des Garçons umbrella. Watanabe is clearly a fan of the vintage motorsport aesthetic, and we love these little patches he did with Abarth, the Italian road and racing car brand, now part of Fiat. They patches are made in Japan and would look good on just about anything.
Price: $50, ssense.com
Hello Cousteau
Nuno Henriques got bored one day and started jotting down designs for motorcycle helmets. He posted them to Instagram as @hellocousteau and it took off. An industrial designer by trade, Henriques clean, cool, vintage-racing inspired helmets are not easy to get though: He doesn’t seem to sell the designs individually, and only a handful of big manufacturers – HJC, Bell and AGV – have been brave enough to put his designs onto production lids. If you can’t find one of those, Veldt helmets offers a factory custom design service.
Price: varies, hellocousteau.com
Saint Laurent Sunglasses
A driver never leaves home without Good Shades. The Saint Laurent SL 364 shield sunglasses are made in Italy and come in several colourways – so they certainly qualify. We’re partial to the black-on-black or brown-gold versions.
Price: $575, holtrenfrew.com
The Road Rat
The tagline of The Road Rat is A Thing For Cars, fitting for a beautiful periodical that’s unlike any other car magazine. For one, it’s more like a coffee table book, and for another it doesn’t have reviews or the latest news on the auto industry. Instead, it’s full of newly commissioned artwork, sumptuous photography and long-form stories about Tazio Nuvolari’s 1935 Grand Prix win, how Bridget Bardot did (or did not) influence Ferrari, and 34 pages on the origin of the Porsche 917. Issue 6 is expected later in November, but their whole back catalog is available in limited quantities now.
Price: £12-15 GBP, theroadrat.com
Nepros Tools
They’re just a means to an end, but wow, these are probably the nicest tools money can buy. The chrome finish is as deep as the ocean. Based in Kyoto, Japan, Nepros is the high-end line of KTC, which specializes in tools for automotive mechanics. A Nepros 3/8” 90-tooth ratchet set is total overkill for the home mechanic, which is why it makes a great gift.
Price: varies, nepros.net
Naim Mu-so Qb
This British maker of high-end hi-fi supplies Bentley with what are – by our ears – the best car stereos in the world. Now you can get some of that same velvety sound at home. This is the newly revamped 2nd generation version of Naim’s brilliant cube, which is their most compact all-in-one system, capable of streaming from your phone or Spotify or just about any other source. It’s a great addition to any WFH setup.
Price: $1,290, naimaudio.com
KITH x BMW
Ronnie Fieg, founder of KITH, has a thing for old BMWs, and so does anyone who knows anything about cars. For their collaboration, BMW restored Fieg’s classic E30 M3, which isn’t for sale. But, you should be able to get your hands on one of the jackets, hats, scarves, gloves or sweaters from the KITH for BMW capsule collection. They’re likely sold out but should be available on re-sale marketplaces, as is the case with all street style gear.
Price: varies, kith.com
Lego Land Rover
The holidays are a time to relax, and there’s not many better ways to do just that than settling in for an afternoon Lego-building marathon. With 2,573 pieces to put together – it has working all-wheel drive and three differentials – this Land Rover Defender kit is suitable for children 11 and older. Much older.
Price: $249.99, lego.com
Strellson Gloves
Winter is the only season where you really need a good pair of driving gloves, and this leather pair from Strellson will keep your hands warm while you keep them on the wheel.
Price: $168, thebay.com
Moncler Eyewear
Founded in 1952 in a little village in the French Alps, Moncler has come a long way since its first puffy down jacket and sleeping bags for mountaineers. Their sunglasses have protected climbers and skiiers from the glare for decades, and are some of the finest around. This vintage-inspired pair is made in Italy with a double-bridge acetate aviator frame and would look good behind the wheel of any fast car.
Price: €290 EUR, moncler.com
Tissot x Alpine
Alpine makes the A110, our favourite sports car that you can’t actually buy here in Canada. That’s the bad news. The good news is that Tissot launched an ingenious new watch that doubles as an in-car chronograph. The 45mm automatic watch detaches from its bracelet and clips onto the car’s dashboard. Under Canadian rules, you can import most European cars once they’re 15 years old. Until then, you’ve at least got the matching watch.
Price: $2,595, tissotwatches.com
Vandel driving boots
Fashion rule number one about driving shoes is that you must not wear them if you are not actually at a racetrack. Otherwise, you’ll wear out the soles, and nobody is going to mistake you for Lewis Hamilton. That said, these hand-made-to-order driving boots by Vandel are an excellent present for the gentleman racer, track rat or weekend warrior in your life. We can’t guarantee they’ll improve their lap times, but these beautifully-made boots will make the recipient the envy of the paddock.
Price: €300 EUR, vandel.co
