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Automotive gifts galore this holiday season

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By NITISH S. RELE, Automotive columnist, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 15, 2007

During the holidays, there's no shortage of automotive-related gifts in stores and on the Web. Here are just a few offerings we picked that the car enthusiast in your life will appreciate.

Keep on dreaming
The Dream Cars page-a-day calendar from Car and Driver magazine is back. The 2008 desk calendar features such hot rides as the 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350, 2006 Aston Martin DBR9, 2007 Lexus LF-A concept, 1929 Buick Roadster and several others. Priced at $12.99, the calendar is available at www.amazon.com or in Bay area bookstores.

Cleanup time
The Ultimate Car Care Kit from Meguiar's includes products for cleaning, polishing and protecting your vehicle's interior and exterior. ScratchX removes fine scratches and swirl marks from paint. NXT Tech Wax 2.0, a polymer car wax, offers mirror like shine and protection. The Ultimate Quik Detailer, engineered with hydrophobic polymers, keeps paint looking freshly waxed between washes. The All Wheel Cleaner cuts through brake dust and road grime. Top the clean wheels with the Hot Shine Tire Gel. The Quik Interior Detailer spray wipes down surfaces such as leather, vinyl, plastic, navigation screens and other electronics. The kit also includes a microfiber polishing cloth and a handy carrying case, making it the perfect holiday gift. Priced at $30, it is available at major retail stores or visit www.meguiars.com.

Vroom!
Mattel Inc. toy manufacturer has released more than 35 new Hot Wheels 1:64-scale die-cast vehicles. The Mystery cars feature blacked-out packaging so children can't see what they're buying. The Code cars feature an individual code etched into the bottom of every vehicle so kids can input the code on www.hotwheels.com for downloads and game levels. Available for 99 cents each, the die-cast cars are suitable for children ages 3 and older. In the Hot Wheels 4-Lane Raceway, kids can line up cars at the starting gate and race them down, while the winner's flag shows the victor in every race. The raceway ($17.99) is suitable for kids 5 years and older. The handheld Hot Wheels Maniacs vehicle ($29.99) features a hilarious animated driver in the LCD windshield. Kids 8 years and older can interact with their virtual "friend" by feeding and playing with him. The character responds to buttons on the hood and is aware of when he's upside down, spinning or crashing. The Tyco R/C Terrainaic Vehicle ($79.99) can take on surfaces such as asphalt, dirt, grass, gravel, sand and even water, thanks to a rear-sphere mega tire, hydro hulls and gyro-pivoting motion. It's suitable for children ages 8 years and older. These products can be purchased at retail and toy stores in the Tampa Bay area or visit www.hotwheels.com.

Packing a punch
For the little guy who dreams one day of getting behind the controls of a 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10, Dodge and Zap Toys have released a remote-controlled mini model of the coupe. It features working head and tail lights and revving engine sound. Priced at $39.99, it is available at Toys R Us. For the baseball or football fan, a 1:18-scale replica of the 2006 Dodge Challenger combines team graphics and star players. Priced at $70, the die-cast car is available at specialty and hobby retailers or visit www.diecastpromotions.com. Finally, for your little purist, Dodge and Maisto have introduced the 1970 Challenger and 2006 Challenger concept 1:18 and 1:24 scale die-cast models. Priced between $15 and $20, the models are available at major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart.

Nitish S. Rele is an advertising staff writer for The Tampa Tribune.

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