No shortage of gift options for avid petrolheads
LAST week the Daily Mail in the UK ran a rather humorous double page spread on who exactly pays the huge amounts of money for objects featured in the Financial Times’ How to Spend it luxury publication.
There are, of course, those who do, but we thought we would look around for some interesting motoring-related gifts that are a little more reasonably priced.
Unusually this year, very few press releases or even review items have crossed our desks.
Perhaps it is a sign of the times so we put our heads together to decide what we would appreciate receiving as real motoring enthusiasts, as well as some of the items we have come across.
Motoring and watches have always gone together. In fact there are publications dedicated to this very pairing. There are, of course, famous brands such as Tag Heuer with its Carrera and Rolex and its relationship with Le Mans and Daytona. Earlier this year we discovered a brand in the UK called Omologato and then in November its watches became available in South Africa.
Every piece is inspired by motoring, from classic looks like the Berlinetta and 722, to ones that pay homage to Porsche, Martini and Le Mans. My favourite is the Racing Chrono 24 with its Martini stripe and stitching on the strap.I’ve sent the details to the wife in hope. Pricing starts in South Africa at just more than R7 000. ( omologatowatches.co.za).
If you have racing in your blood then you might want to drop hints about the GP Store.
We even discovered a booth at O R Tambo recently. One in Sandton City features clothing and other items from a range of motorsport teams, mostly F1.
MotoGP fans are also catered for and you can have almost anything featuring the famous number 46. And there are caps, lots and lots of caps.
If you were not fortunate enough to get your hands on this year’s infamous Pirelli Calendar, then there are plenty of other options to adorn the wall in your study or office.
On a visit to Pablo Clark Racing recently, we discovered the official Scuderia Ferrari calendar. There is a fascinating story behind it that we were not aware of.
The pictures are always shot by German photographer Gunther Raupp, something that annoys the Italians immensely.
However, Raupp was personally commissioned to do the official calendars by none other than Enzo Ferrari himself.
This year he has shot some incredible pictures of the latest Maranello masterpieces and the calendar costs about R1 000. Not bad for a limited run of just 5 000 worldwide
If you are not sure where to get the ideal gift for the petrolhead in your life, then try your nearest dealership. Many have merchandise shops that are a treasure trove.
There is also of course the online world, although given our postal service, things can be a bit hit or miss with online delivery.
You can also resort to the usual items, things such as portable satnav devices or dashcams from Tom Tom or Garmin, phone covers featuring a favourite brand or a subscription to the Daily Dispatch, so you never miss Dispatch Motoring.