Gordon Cruickshank, Editor-at-Large

Amalgam Alfa Romeo’s 8C 2900B

Several factors make a car special – beauty, rarity, performance, racing achievements – and Alfa Romeo’s 8C 2900B tops the scorecard on all of them. This terrific 1/8th-scale Amalgam model recreates the works car that Clemente Biondetti drove to Mille Miglia victory in 1938, with amazingly detailed engine beneath the louvred bonnet – even the tiny labels on the cam covers are reproduced – and every sweep of the curvaceous body from pert prow to tapering tail are accurately modelled. A beautiful model of a sensational machine which will remind me of the few glorious hours when I was allowed to drive the priceless real thing.
£11,500. amalgamcollection.com

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Joe Dunn, Editor

Lego Jaguar Formula E set

My relationship with Lego has gone full circle: from being obsessed with it as a kid, to cursing it as a Dad when stepping barefoot on discarded pieces on the kitchen floor, to now rediscovering the uniquely satisfying feeling of clicking those plastic studs together. Lego now makes terrific real-world cars which – unlike a few decades ago – bear more than a passing resemblance to what they are supposed to be. And there is no better example than this – the first Lego Formula E car. The Jaguar Racing I-Type 4 was revealed at the same time as the team’s real-life electric racer, which will make its debut this month is the 2019/20 season opener in Saudi Arabia. It comes with halo and chunky rear diffuser. Less enticingly the kit is packaged with an i-Pace e-Trophy race car, which if last season’s performances in the FE support series are anything to go by will be slow to put together and ultimately underwhelming. There is only one problem: the set will go on sale on January 1, so I might have to make do with an IOU from Santa.
£TBC. lego.com

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Robert Ladbrook, Production Editor

Alastair Gibson art

As recycled Formula 1 parts go, these are some of the finer examples of what can be done with old grand prix bits. Artist Alastair Gibson doesn’t do the usual exhaust-in-glass coffee tables or gear clocks, instead he makes proper art out of race-used bits and F1 techniques. Some may recognise the name, considering before he got involved in engineering marine-based sculptures from carbon and aluminium, South African Gibson was lead mechanic for Benetton F1, and then chief mechanic for BAR and Honda. Using advanced engineering techniques, such as laser-cutting and lamination, his works can be truly stunning. From intricately crafted keyrings to schools of carbon fibre piranhas, to sharks in Porsche 917 liveries and manta rays made from recycled exhausts. They’re things of beauty.
From £95 (keyrings), £185 (sculptures), carbonart45.com

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James Elson, Digital Intern

Bose QC35 headphones

It’s not that I want to be like Lewis Hamilton – although that impending sixth world title, the multi-millions in sponsorship and jet-set lifestyle would be nice… – but I do crave some time out from the general buzz of the daily commute. And by ‘buzz’ I mean total racket. Hence why I’d like the Bose QC35 noise-cancelling headphones – perfect for that flight back from Abu Dhabi or the 08:37 to Clapham Junction. You can adjust the settings to fit your environment, handy for either screaming youngsters or screeching tube rails and they have Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant built in, allowing you to call up millions of songs – or the Motor Sport podcast – all hands free. Plus, there’s 26 colours to choose from.
£260, bose.co.uk

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Jake Williams-Smith, Staff Writer

Thrustmaster T3PA-PRO pedals

The Motor Sport office is lucky enough to have our own gaming rig, equipped with a Thrustmaster wheel. But one thing bothers me: why are the pedals never as realistic as the wheel? Force feedback is great, and you can really feel car sensations, but the plastic pushers you get have had far less development than what’s up top. That’s why I want this T3PA-PRO three-pedal add-on. Each pedal is adjustable in terms of angle and spacing. The feedback is also elevated, with compression springs allowing the travel and resistance to be tweaked. They’re compatible with all of the T-series wheels (T500, T300, T150, TMX and TX) across platforms including PC, Xbox One and PS4.
£150, thrustmaster.com

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Damon Cogman, Art Editor

Auto finesse ultimate car care kit

I admit it, I’m in the minority here, but I absolutely love washing my car! It’s an odd fetish I know, but nothing makes me happier than having a stack of new car washes, shampoos, clays, sprays, polishes, and detailing waxes to play with. Car detailing maestro Auto Finesse has packed everything I could ever need into one enormous gift package that would make my Christmas break one big happy car washing holiday
£169.95, autofinesse.com

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Dominic Tobin, Digital Editor

God’s Own Junkyard neon sign

This seventies-era artwork is more Hunt than Lauda, guaranteeing to dominate any room. It’s part of the vast neon collection assembled by God’s Own Junkyard, which sells vintage signs and takes commissions for bespoke works. The company’s late founder, Chris Bracey, began supplying Soho establishments with ‘Girls Girls Girls’ signs in the 1970s, then moved into movie work, making neon creations for films that include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Eyes Wide Shut and the Batman franchise. Kate Moss, Elton John and Johnny Depp are among clients to have commissioned works. The firm’s warehouse in Walthamstow typically contains a selection of automotive memorabilia, including signs for car dealers, car parks and gas stations. A basic commission with a name on perspex starts at around £1000, with prices rising for more elaborate designs.
godsownjunkyard.co.uk

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More options

Bernie Ecclestone Opus

Bernie Ecclestone has an enviable collection of F1 cars, and for the first time they’ve been compiled into this rather special book. Each has been photographed with the Polaroid 20×24 Land Camera and there’s input from ex-Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo and designer Gordon Murray. It’s a unit of a thing, standing 70cm tall, 50cm wide, it includes 300 pages and weighs in at 25kg. Santa may need to reinforce his sleigh…
£2500, Thisisopus.com

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Richings Greetham leather goods

Richings Greetham’s guiding principles are quality, function and longevity, and everything in its elegant range of travel accessories is made to last. Utilising the finest tumbled buffalo calfskin, natural vegetable dyes and zips from RIRI of Switzerland they make the perfect gift. We love the travel pouch, notebook and passport holder and soft glasses case.
From £12, richingsgreetham.co.uk

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Adam Gompertz print

There’s something soothing about sketching, and Adam Gompertz has created something that you can happily gaze at for hours. This print concerns the Bentley 4½ litre Blower that raced at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1929. In the style of a designer’s drawing board, the lines emanating from the wheels are notes from the artist. The original is priced at £850.
From £95, historiccarart.net

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Scalextric Touring Car Battle

Recreate the drama of this year’s BTCC finale with this starter set. Featuring Jack Goff’s BMW versus Gordon Shedden’s Honda – a similar combo to this year’s Turkington v Cammish showdown – it comes with four track layouts and a lap counter. There’s also a whole host of additional cars and accessories for sale, too. Vantage GT3 v RS500 anyone..?
£100, shop.motorsportmagazine.com

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In Camera sports car racing books

Across the last 16 years, Behemoth’s range of … In Camera works have offered a refreshing take on different areas and forms of the sport. It’s the sports cars that steal our attention, with volumes covering the 1960s when Ford was squaring off against Ferrari, to the rise of prototypes and the Group C era. Each edition – 1960-69, Volumes One and Two, and 1980-89 contains glorious imagery. Ideal for reference or as a glance-to guide.
£45, behemothpublishing.co.uk

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Engine part cufflinks

Bored of soulless, run-of-the-mill fasteners on your wrist? Why not get something with a story behind it? Such as these, which were once part of great British engines. These cufflinks are made from what used to be the RH2146 bearings used by both Bentley and Rolls Royce in the creation of their V8 engines from the 1950s and ’60s. Each pair bears the PV stamp of their parts, and come mounted on brass fixtures. They also come with a certificate of authenticity.
£165, shop.motorsportmagazine.com

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Aston Martin DB2 to DB6 book

Aston Martin was well and truly in the doldrums until machine tooling magnate David Brown bought the name in 1947, and then set about creating some of the most beautiful cars in history. This new work from Ad’Vantaged tracks the story of the formative DB models, from the 1950 DB2 to the DB6, which ceased production in 1970. With 1400 images covering 135 models and drawing on 10 years of research it’s a remarkable work.
€380, advantaged.eu

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Porsche engine kit

One for both the experienced and the budding engineers in the house. This 300-piece model recreates a working replica of the famous 547 Porsche Carrera engine. Fitted to models such as the 356 and 550 Spyder the flat-four gained notoriety for both its performance and reliability. Supplied with instructions and historical facts, the movement is powered by three AA batteries.
£175, shop.motorsportmagazine.com