Gifts for gear heads

HOLIDAY | Jim Gorzelany

Auto aficionados tend to be a breed apart from mere motorists. No, motor oil does not course through their veins, but their interest in all things vehicular runs much deeper than that of the average driver.

Tracking down gifts for a car-loving friend or relative can be a lot of fun. There are more nicely designed, imaginative products more widely available – from auto shops and tech stores to the finest jewelry counters in town. Here’s a look at a few gifts guaranteed to make their hearts race this holiday season.

The ultimate high-tech auto gizmo of the season has to be an electric car, like the stylishly aerodynamic Nissan Leaf. Delivering true “plug and play” operation with zero emissions, the Leaf promises as much as a 100-mile range on a charge. It includes Internet and smart phone connectivity and a navigation system that can show the location of nearby charging stations ($32,780. Pre-order through the factory at nissanusa.com).

A less costly gift for environmentally conscious auto buffs is the nifty car care kit from Green Earth Technologies. It consists of five eco-friendly products made from plant oils: organic glass cleaner, brake dust shield, hydrophobic car wash, tire shine and wheel cleaner ($20, auto, hardware and big box stores; getg.com). Motorists who want to maintain the showroom shine of their rides also will appreciate Meguiar’s complete care gift kit ($20, auto and hardware stores; meguiars.com) Why not give an exotic sports car for a pittance? Upgrade his or her computer mouse with a racier model – a Porsche 911, to be exact. The Motormouse is a 2.4g wireless mouse that’s a strikingly detailed replica of the iconic coupe ($50, motormouse.us.com).