Unless you're Sally Draper, the first experience you had behind the wheel probably involved the term "1/24th scale." Car toys make car geeks, and with your help we've identified the ten best car-themed toys to find under the tree.
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10.) Matchbox Cars/Hot Wheels
Why Santa Should Bring You One: I love the Escort Cosworth RS. Love it. Though never sold here, I had a Malaysian-built model of it and worshipped the tiny rally car. The greatness of these cheap toys is they cast a passion for cars in the hearts of the youth well beyond their 1/24th scale.
Suggested by: Tossed Pissed
9.) Go-Kart
Why Santa Should Bring You One: What better way to embarrass the other kids in the neigborhood and learn proper wrenching/driving technique then with your own miniature racer? Just don't get one that's too nice, or you'll become that kid.
Suggested by: 710 cap ?
8.) Racing Video Games
Why Santa Should Bring You One: If Matchbox cars taught me to love the Cossie, Gran Turismo instructed me in the ways of obscure Mitsubishi Evo rally variants. More importantly, through licensing and ever-increasing difficulty games like GT and Forza teach kids about taking a proper racing line and racing dynamics.
Suggested by: FORDboy357
7.) Slot Cars
Why Santa Should Bring You One: There are more realistic driving experiences to be had than a slot car track, and some people would dare say there's no point now that you can race the 'Ring when you're 8 in your footie pajamas. Those people hate (in this order): cars, Christmas, America, Jesus, freedom. There's something visceral and fantastic about cooking a slot car in sharp corner and watching it careen off the track and into the cat. You don't get that with a video game.
Suggested by:
6.) Floor Jack/Jack Stands
Why Santa Should Bring You One: Don't argue with me on this point. A set of good jack stands and a floor jack's a great way to get your start wrenching. Or, actually, a wrench is also good. If you're strong enough to carry a spare tire, you're strong enough to start playing with real cars.
Suggested by: Kylev
5.) Micro Machines
Why Santa Should Bring You One: Like Hot Wheels, these little cars opened up a world of motoring to car lovers. Even better, the detailed vehicles featured many moving parts and an entire series of amazing military-themed vehicles and rescue vehicles. They're no longer for active sale in the U.S., but they're easily found online.
Suggested by: Spiegel
4.) Transformers
Why Santa Should Bring You One: Transformers are sort of a gateway toy into car enthusiasm. There are the kids who play with the Transformers as cars (who grow up to be car geeks), those who play with both (normal people), and those who just play with the robots (serial killers).
Suggested by: Rusty Van Horn
3.) Power Wheels
Why Santa Should Bring You One: The most amount of HP you should/can give a four-year-old, it's a little taste of automotive freedom. I never had one, but always wanted a Power Wheels Jeep.
Suggested by: kenneth.d.starr
2.) R/C Cars
Why Santa Should Bring You One: Remote-control cars aren't just scales of real cars themselves, they're scalable to the amount of effort you want to put into the hobby. There are the cheap, fast one-size-fits-all Toys-R-Us types. Then there's the more advanced Radio Shack customizable X-Mods. Before you know it you're custom-building a racing gas-powered version.
Suggested by: Dravs
1.) Racing School
Why Santa Should Bring You One: Parents in a nasty custody battle and vying to buy your love and affection? Hint you'd like to sharpen your skills at Skip Barber or any number of racing schools.
Suggested by: jbh11126