|
From YourSITE.com Miscellaneous Features Christmas lists are an interesting phenomenon. How realistic yours is might possibly be a direct result of your familial income, and for the automotive enthusiast, just how specific to get is always a conundrum. Should you provide a part number so your loved one can get the same hairy eyeball at the dealership parts counter you get, though without the resolve of someone who knows what they want? Should you include car modifications on your list, and how exactly does one wrap a set of wheels, an exhaust or body kit – much less get it under the tree? In light of that, we’ve compiled a list of cool gifts for the automotive enthusiast that do not include direct parts for the car. Instead, they do their best to support the automotive habit without being so direct as to be an automotive part.
Race shoes may be a bit extravagant unless you race, but racing shoes are cool – especially ones made by sunglass manufacturer Oakley. Yes, Oakley makes footwear in addition to their stylish shades and the Race Mid is Formula One FIA approved and professional grade. Made with a CarbonX® flame-resistant lining for the next time you pull a Dale Jr. flaming wall shot at the local Driver’s Education track day. Available in three color combinations, you can choose from blue/gray, red/black to show your Audi Sport colors or black/ silver stitching for a more subtle look if you plan on wearing them for more than racing. More Information: www.Oakley.com
2. Timeless Watch – Tag Heuer Monaco Made famous by its appearance in the movie Le Mans on the wrist of none other than legendary car guy Steve McQueen, the Monaco’s clean lines have a look that is both retro and timeless at the same time. The Monaco is a popular model for Tag Heuer, and it’s available in multiple colors and configurations. The standard Monaco has a cool three-faced stopwatch function for tracking lap times. Choose black leather band and brushed stainless casing for the subtle look or go for the blue-faced model used by McQueen. The square is a theme in Audi design, and this square-faced watch will catch a lot of looks – especially amongst car aficionados. More Information: www.TagHeuer.com 3. Ad it Up – Vintage Arte Posters Is your significant other losing patience over your inability to throw away your old car posters? Coming up with classy alternative décor for the abode doesn’t have to mean losing the automotive theme – perhaps to the chagrin of your partner.
The reproductions by Vintage Arte can be had on Heavy Archival Paper or Canvas and in varying sizes. From what we’ve seen the Hamm poster sold for, Vintage Arte’s pricing is particularly reasonable.
We found the following Audi-oriented posters: Audi 0000-0029 München Audi Roadster Poster, 1927, anonymous, France 0000-2828 Audi Thoroughbred Poster, 1912, Josef Rudolf Witzel, Switzerland Motorsport 0000-2374 – Race Car (probably Auto Union with Swiss Flag) 1938, Armin Bieber, Switzerland 0000-2741 - Grand Prix de l'A.C.F./1935 with Auto Union (center) and Bugatti (right) 1935 Geo Ham France 0000-6098 – Vintage 1937 Monaco Racing Poster with Auto Union in background, 1937, Geo Hamm 0000-0522 – Vintage 1936 Monaco Racing Poster with Auto Union in foreground, 1936, Geo Hamm 0000-0029 – Nuvolari 1939, anonymous, Italy Spyker 0000-1901 - Spyker-Auto's 1931 0000-0960 - Spyker-Autos 1920 Pieter Vanderhem Holland More Information: www.vintagearte.com 4. Digital Music Icon – iPod
If you’ve been living under a rock, then perhaps you’ve missed the overwhelming success of the iPod. Though not cheap, the tiny and traditionally white music storage device produced by Apple Computer has revolutionalized the way consumers look at music and audio. Full integration with mobile audio systems remains the holy grail with the exception of very few solutions such as Alpine’s KCA-420i adapter that not surprisingly only works with the stereo company’s head units. Still, owners are finding plenty of workarounds from plug-in FM broadcasters and tape cassette adapters to alternative wiring into leads for CD changers. Either way, the iPod is the perfect way to take virtually your entire collection of music with you wherever you go and in whatever vehicle you so choose. New this year is a color-screened version also good for photography storage and a red and black U2 special edition. More Information: www.Apple.com/iPod www.Alpine-USA.com/iPod 5. Train Set Alternative – Scalextric Slot Car Sets
Remember the slot-car racing sets you had when you were a kid? Surprisingly, they’re still quite prevalent, especially in Europe and most notably those by Scalextric. Readily available in the USA, the UK-based company makes a range of sets and cars to race on them as well as a huge fan base. Opt for the “Road Rivals Porsche + Audi” set and you’ll get a figure eight track along with an Audi TT and Porsche Boxster cars. Currently the TT is the only Audi offered by Scalextric, though other models from the R8 to the UrQuattro are readily available simply by searching Ebay. Scalextric has been in the business for years so selection of an almost limitless number of cars is at your fingertips should you visit the auction website or fan-supporting businesses. Tracks are modular as well, allowing you to create your own grueling course. With Scalextric, who needs a slow-chugging train pulling its load around the Christmas fur? Instead, slalom between wrapped packages in a sportscar and be infinitely more cool.
More Information: www.Scalextric.co.uk 6. In-Car Video Gaming Gran Turismo enthusiasts may be lamenting the after-Christmas launch date of GT4, but for gift-givers with fairly deep pockets, a video-gaming Michael Schumacher can get ready for the latest version by adding a video game racing seat setup to his or her gift list.
For the most serious with several grand to spend, one would be hard-pressed to do better than Serious Racing’s Serious Racer and Serious Racer Pro. Basically custom made for a specific client, the Serious Racing approach to simulated racing is top of the line. Opt for the standard Serious Racer and you’ll get an F1 styled cockpit within a fiberglass body. A Force Feedback Steering Wheel with F1 style paddle levers, adjustable pedals and racing seat make the driving experience more realistic while lighting, sound system with subwoofer and cooling fan for the driver make the experience more enjoyable.
More Information: www.seriousracing.com If you’re more budget-minded but the purist side of you just isn’t happy rounding Laguna Seca with a Playstation controller, you might also consider the Ernie Irvan designed Race Game Seat by Irvan-Smith,Inc. Starting at $275, it doesn’t feature the plethora of options of the Serious Racer, though it’ll get you in a real driving position for under $300. More Information: www.IrvanSmith.com 7. Giving Your Garage a Lift – Backyard Buddy
If you’re an auto enthusiast lucky enough to have garage space, you’re probably well aware that any self-respecting auto enthusiast never has enough garage space. What better solution to your automotive storage space defecit than a lift? It’ll add another space for automotive storage or offer you some serious capabilites for working on your car. Enter Backyard Buddy. The Backyard Buddy lift offers compact size for fitment in most residential garages. Utilizing electric over hydraulic power, the unit can lift anything from car to standard-sized pickup with the Backyard Buddy Standard lifting 7,000# and can be powered by a a 110v power supply. Other models and accessories are available. More Information: www.BackyardBuddy.com 8. Heavy Metal For the Garage – Metal Line Cabinetry Systems
Not just for high-end kitchens, cabinets are also an integral part of the high-end garage. Metal Line’s modular systems offer a range of storage for the heavier needs of a garage environment. Shelves are rated for 300lbs., while drawers are rated for 100lbs. Maple countertops are available or you can opt for the cool industrial looking stainless counter. The steel cabinets are available in five colors including a handsome red that would make any Audiphile happy, though Metal Line can also custom paint the cabinetry in virtually any color. More Information: www.MetalLineCabinets.com 9. Gulf Club – Blue and Orange by Michael Cotton
Plenty of as-of-yet unseen photos and recollections of people who were involved with these Gulf-sponsored race campaigns as well as a chapter on the movie “Le Mans” make for an interesting read. More Information: www.thegulfbook.com 10. Fast and the Furious 1970’s Style – C’etait un Rendezvous DVD
Eerily you see the car sliding around the Arch d’ Triumph and powering down the Champs Elysees, flying through mainstreets and backstreets alike, changing off of the planned course due to poorly placed garbage trucks making their early-morning pickups or narrowly missing a scared Parisian girl as she almost steps out in front of the speeding sportscar. Nissan tried to copy the cult-classic recently when it launched the 300ZX, though no one has been able to duplicate the raw reality or artful depiction of the original. Now remastered for DVD distribution, the film is available through Road & Track Magazine. More Information: www.RoadAndTrack.com
© Copyright 2004 by YourSITE.com |
