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Find out more about John: For almost thirty years, award-winning author John Matras has written about cars. He’s been in all the major car magazines, on the web and written five books, and he’s even been translated into Estonian. His website is carbuzzard.com. |
Our second installment of gifts for the car guy and gal are for enthusiasts of the marques from that sceptered isle of England. No, every item doesn’t have to be British Racing Green, though it does help.
But is there a Jaguar fan on the gift list? The we suggest the Jaguar Collection. Decorate his wrist with a Baume & Mercier Hampton Classic Watch for only $1,495, from the Executive Collection. What could be more Jaguar than Heritage leather driving gloves, at $55? Maybe a 1:18 scale model of a Le Mans-winning Jaguar, clearance priced at $60…but they’re almost gone. For her, the collection says, “retro chic gets an updated design with our very charming, custom-made for Jaguar, herringbone tweed cap”: $18.
The Aston Martin Collection is another place to shop for the automotive Anglophile. Start with a model of the Aston Martin DB9. Die-cast in 1:18 scale, it’s £25.53, in Slate Blue or Ghillies Green. We particularly like the “starter button” T-shirts, available in men’s, women’s and kid’s styles and sizes, £21.28 and ?15. A teddy bear wearing a black fleece Aston Martin jacket sells for £29.79.
The hard core British sports car fan wants something from the Lotus Webstore. We don’t know, but we suspect his computer will run faster with a Lotus Sport mouse pad, at $14.50. A 1:18 scale model of the 007 Lotus Esprit submarine car lists for $72.02, complete with all its removable parts. A Lotus Sport men's zip jacket is available for $45. And because it’s Lotus’ 60th anniversary and because it rains a lot in Jolly Olde, we recommend the 60th Anniversary umbrella…or should we say bumbershoot…at $54.95.
Land Rover Gear has a T-shirt that appropriately enough reads “Get dirty. Stay clean.” What else for a company that sells go anywhere vehicles that are outfitted like a British luxury car inside? Made from 100% organic cotton (there’s inorganic cotton?), it sells for $24. If your small-to-medium-sized dog is named “Rover,” no doubt he’ll appreciate a T-shirt of his own, “cut just right in the back for clean and neat dog duty.” Price: $16. Outdoorsy Land Rover types will enjoy the folding travel chair for patio or camp: $49. A Swiss Army watch emblazoned with the Land Rover logo is available in men’s and women’s styles: $125 and $120 respectively.
It would take a company with the heritage of Bentley to offer a leather flying helmet (from £106.34) and leather goggles as used by pilots in the 1940s (from £85.06). Also in the Bentley Collection, a 1:12 scale “Blower Bentley” model in sterling silver, handmade by Anthony Holt silversmiths. At £2,9782.98. Only ten will be made so don’t dawdle. Contact your Bentley dealer. Compared to that, £34.04 for a Bentley polo shirt is almost giving them away.
If ever there were a company made for motoring gear, however, it would have to be Mini, the car company that sells motoring gear at an on-line store called—what else—motoringgear.com. We’re always partial to model cars, so the 1:18 scale Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works is an automatic hit. Price: $99. Then there’s the “cheeky” Clubman Stop Staring T-shirt. The back shows the rear end of a Mini Clubman with “"Stop staring at my boot” written underneath: $28. But what Mini maniac wouldn’t like the Speedometer Watch? It has a Mini speedometer-inspired face, produced by Tourneau exclusively for Mini, for $150.Happy shopping!
What? You have a European car enthusiast to shop for also? We have a gift guide for that, too. For Asian cars, click here. And for gifts for those who love cars from the good ol' USA, click here. More gifts for the littlest of car lovers.
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