Motor Trend's Holiday Gift Guide

For all you procrastinating holiday shoppers in need of a little gift-giving inspiration, allow your pals at Motor Trend to help. Below is our editors' selection of great gift ideas, from highly affordable to obscenely expensive, sure to please any auto fan. (And if that fan is you -- wink, wink -- we won't tell.)

Garmin nuvi 765T GPS
Just about any portable GPS navigation device can get you where you need to go, but Garmin's new nuvi 765T is way more helpful than most. For one thing, the 765T includes lane assist, which guides you into the proper lane for upcoming exits and turns (if you've ever used other GPS units before, you know how frustrating some can be to understand). And that's just the beginning. The 765T includes turn-by-turn navigation with spoken street names, a bright 4.3-inch screen with 3D displays in many areas, FM traffic alerts, more than six million pre-loaded points of interest, hands-free calling (with your Bluetooth-capable cell phone), an MP3 player, and much more. You can add optional SD cards loaded with detailed Garmin Travel Guides, too.
$599.99; www.garmin.com

ScottEVest Quantum Jacket
Need your iPhone apps when hitting the ski slopes? Can't put the Blackberry down while climbing mountains? Are you unable to leave the house without half a dozen gadgets in your pockets? Then you're the sort of person who needs the ScottEVest Quantum jacket -- which sports 28 easy-access pockets designed for everything from your I.D. card to your cell phone to a magazine. The waterproof Quantum also features a removable hood, zipper vents on each side, and a fleece liner behind the front zipper and around the neck to keep out cold air. We love wearing the jacket: It's light and easy to move around in, feels as well made as anything from the top winter outfitters, and the best part is, when you're cruising through town or waiting for the ski lift, you won't look like you're carrying half a Radio Shack catalog with you. Every winter-sports-loving gadget freak needs one.
$250; www.scottvest.com

ScottEVest Microfleece Pullover
Also from ScottEVest is this Microfleece Pullover, a tech fan's dream come true. While on the outside it may look like your average pullover, take a closer look and you'll discover it's chock full of enough unique features to satisfy the most demanding gadget guru. Its five pockets are extra deep and two of them have magnetic pocket closures to keep expensive cargo safe even when you forget to zip the pocket shut. Another cool feature is something ScottEVest founder Scott Jordan calls PAN (Personal Area Network) -- an innovation that routes your headphone cables from your pocket through the pullover and up to your ears, thus eliminating tangled wires. But while the Microfleece Pullover easily satisfies tech nerds, it's not geekwear. All of its gadget-storing technology is hidden away under clean, attractive styling you'd be proud to show off in an Aspen ski bar. Available in black, moss, or gunmetal.
$60; www.scottvest.com

Blancpain Speed Command Chronograph
If you're a speed junkie, then renowned Swiss watchmaker Blancpain has just the fix: the new Speed Command Chronograph. Utilizing a carbon-fiber dial that's reminiscent of gauges on an exotic sports car, plus a Caliber F185 automatic movement with a 40-hour power reserve, the SCC is built for high-velocity adventures. Features include a bidirectional countdown-type black-sapphire rotating bezel, Superluminova markers, and a flyback function that, with a single press of the start pusher, instantly resets and restarts the chronograph. Not only is the 45mm-diameter steel case large, it's also extremely durable -- thanks to a DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon) coating. And if you're up for taking a plunge, the SCC is water resistant to 300 meters and features a rubber-lined Barenia leather strap. Available in black with yellow or orange accents.
$18,200; www.blancpain.com

Mario Kart Wii with Wheel
If we could pry the Wiimotes out of our photographer's and art director's mitts long enough to pop in a game other than Wii Tennis, this would be the first one we'd grab. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Wario, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Toad, and Bowser are back for those who remember Mario Kart from the Super Nintendo days. Now for the Wii, Mario Kart promises even more trash talking and Koopa Shell-tossing hijinks. Mario Kart Wii adds a ton of new features, including a slick new wheel controller and the chance to race motorbikes. You can also race up to three friends locally or you can take on 11 racers over Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connection network. With 32 different tracks (16 new, 16 classic), this game could take you until the next holiday season to finish. Pick up a copy, and between helpings of figgy pudding and Grandma's rock-hard fruit cake, try to determine who is the true racing king of the Mushroom Kingdom.
$49.99; www.nintendo.com

Carbon Fiber Wallet
They'll just know you have an AMG Black Series* sitting in the garage when you pull out this wallet crafted in black leather and sleek, durable carbon fiber. The wallet includes a window for quickly showing your I.D. (not to your friendly speed officer, let's hope), plus storage dividers for credit cards and that huge wad of cash you like to carry around. *AMG Black Series not required for purchase.
$49.99; www.griotsgarage.com

Art Of The Hot Rod
Oh, you want this book. You'll drool over this book. Get this book. Written by pal Ken Gross, an auto-journalism veteran who can recite chapter and verse on nearly everything that's ever worn wheels, Art of the Hot Rod (240 pages, hardbound) is a gorgeously produced, large-format feast that pays tribute to the work of twenty of today's most inventive and talented hot-rod craftsmen. As your eyes gaze over the lavish images by renowned photographer Peter Harholdt, just try to find a speck of dust on any of the beautiful machines profiled within. This is auto creativity at its zenith, sculpture on rubber. After you've let this weighty tome enhance your coffee table for a while, file it in your library in the section reserved for "Landmarks of Western Art."
$40; www.motorbooks.com

Jeep All-Terrain Upright Luggage
Weight is increasingly becoming a concern (and an expense) when traveling, which is why the great-looking Jeep All-Terrain line of travel cases is designed with sturdy, lightweight ABS that matches rivals in quality but without their bulk; depending on size, the Uprights range from just 6.5 to 11 pounds. Each Upright features a multidirectional four-wheel system for easy maneuvering, plus a fully lined and padded interior, elastic tie-down straps, and a telescoping handle. Three sizes are offered: 20", 24", and 29"; each is available in charcoal or black.$200-260; www.ebags.com

Not-Paper Paper Cup
Fooled you: Though it looks like a typical coffee-shop cup, this one isn't made of paper. It's actually constructed of double-walled, reusable porcelain. The benefits? Drinks stay hotter (or colder) much longer, your fingers never feel the hot or cold, and you don't end up tossing away yet another landfill-bound paper cup when you're done. A snug silicone lid keeps liquids inside the cup while also allowing for easy sips. And everything is dishwasher and microwave safe. Get a couple for your morning commutes. You'll enjoy your coffee longer, and Planet Earth will thank you.
$19.95; www.solutions.com

Honda Formula 1 Team
That's right: Japan's Honda Motor Co. Ltd. has announced it's officially pulling out of Formula 1. Which means the British-based Honda Racing F1 team is now for sale -- hey, here's the perfect holiday gift for the man who has everything! Ideally, Honda wants to unload its F1 operation within a month, which means you'll have some bargaining power. Still, you'll have bid against three Middle Eastern buyers who are said to be interested. Included in the sale, presumably, are Honda F1's 700-member workforce; the team's headquarters in Brackley, England; F1 driver Jenson Button (who has scored but one win -- in 2006 -- and finished 18th of 22 in the 2008 Driver's World Championship but still sells a heckuva lot of T-shirts); plus the makings of some F1 cars that managed to rack up all of 14 points last season. But, hey, if your bid wins, you could call the team Earl's Formula 1 & Champagne Tax Write-off Ltd. and no one could stop you.
$500 million, OBO; www.hondaracingf1.com, www.ebay.com

Ball Bearing Key Fob
Take an icon from the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art's collection with you with this chic, industrial-design key fob -- an homage to Swedish engineer and inventor Sven Wingquist's Self-Aligning Ball Bearing, designed in 1907. A perfect stocking-stuffer for the design aficionado in your household, the fob is crafted in stainless steel and its rings both rotate and swivel. Available exclusively at the MoMA store.
$30; www.momastore.org

Piaggio MP3 500 Scooter
As a car magazine, we don't do scooters. Usually. But the new Piaggio MP3 500 three-wheeler is just so cool, the James Bond in us simply can't help but show it to you. With its large front fairing, two front wheels, and advanced parallelogram front suspension, the MP3 500 combines tons of handling grip and stability plus added protection for the rider. And because it balances itself, you don't have to put your feet down at stoplights. A 492cc four-valve, four-stroke, twin-spark engine delivers 40 horsepower at 7250 rpm -- enough for a top speed of nearly 90 mph. Andiamo!
$8899; www.piaggiousa.com

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