There’s still a good week left before the presents are given, the delivery services are running extra shifts. If you want to make a car lover happy, you have a lot to choose from. Here are some recommendations from the Authors’ Union Mobility.
For the little ones: a hidden object book
BMW thinks of the customers of the future – and brings a beautifully designed hidden object book that shows the journey of the fictional Hintermaier family into the world of BMW on 14 pages. The book is up to date, the new 7 series is already taken into account. But it also offers a trip into history, showing for example the M1 Procar and the 3.0 CSL. The book costs 12.95 euros. (sm)
For bikers: A wooden kit
As a bridging aid in winter, the Louis company offers a special model kit for bikers. It comes from the Ukrainian company Ugears and consists of 380 wooden parts, whereby no glue is needed for assembly. The parts are snapped together or held together with rubber bands, which also serve as suspension and drive belts elsewhere.
But that’s not all: Despite the wooden construction, the model called “Scrambler” has working parts such as a fold-out side stand and moving pistons in the boxer engine. A sidecar can also be fitted. Then the motorbike with the elastic drive will certainly roll a little better. Build time: Eight hours. And the model only costs 29.90 euros. Alternatively, there is a five euro cheaper chopper made from almost 190 parts; it is assembled in three hours. (jri)
For campers: A Dutch Oven
The Dutch Oven or Dutch Oven, once exported to almost every continent by European emigrants, can be used universally. The cowboys garden their beans in it, the Boers lamb and vegetables. The advantage of the black and almost indestructible cookware: thanks to three feet on the ground, it can be placed in the middle of the embers of the campfire. If more heat is desired, the charcoal can also be placed on the lid. Cooking is easy, stews always turn out well. Professionals even grill with it.
Campers should note: The Dutch Oven is made of heavy cast iron, a 12-inch Dutch Oven easily weighs 10 kilograms. Then there’s the lid. It is important to season the pot: in the oven at 200 degrees and covered with a fine layer of cooking oil, it is prepared for future use. It should never be cleaned with water followingwards, because cast iron rusts. Depending on the size, the prices are between 40 and 100 euros. You can get them in the grill section of the hardware store or at Petromax or BBQ-Toro. (mk)
For safety: driver training
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced driver: everyone benefits from a driving safety course. Because not only are the theoretical and physical basics of driving in exceptional situations explained, but the knowledge is also practiced safely and under professional guidance. Special courses are aimed at well-being mobile and trailer drivers. Various motorist clubs offer such training; the Automobile Club of Germany (AvD) also offers courses for non-members. It starts at 169 euros. (hrr)
For boxer fans: the engine kit
This miniature kit of the legendary Porsche six-cylinder boxer engine should not only inspire fans of the Stuttgart sports car manufacturer. The assembly of the detailed two-liter engine from the Porsche 911 from 1966 is not difficult at all. The kit, which consists of more than 290 parts, is simply put together and screwed together without the use of glue. After a good three hours you get a transparent engine model on a scale of 1:4, in which all parts move like the real thing. The valves open and close as the pistons move up and down and the crankshaft rotates. The ignition sparks in the cylinders are simulated with LEDs and a small loudspeaker ensures the engine sound is true to the original. The detailed functional engine is available from www.franzis.de for 199 euros. (gb)
For electric drivers: A generator
The fear of not being able to reach the nearest charging point is a frequent companion of e-mobility enthusiasts, and that is where a small, transportable generator can help, which always provides the power when the vehicle’s power supply is running low. Especially in the cold season, when batteries suffer from frost and deliver too few kilowatt hours in the cold, the little friend and helper in the trunk helps out with an energy donation. And the radiated heat also helps to warm your hands while the battery is charging. Provided there is enough diesel in the tank. The electricity dispensers are available in specialist shops from 300 euros. (www)
For Automobile Historians: The Isdera Book
The autobiography of the ingenious engineer and designer Eberhard Schulz, which contains an unbelievable wealth of insider information and previously unpublished photos, costs a whopping 800 euros – plus VAT. The two-volume work, weighing almost 5 kilos, comes in a luxurious slipcase and is provided with a personal dedication for the buyer; it is available on request via the email address ISDERA.GmbH@web.de. The two volumes provide deep insights into a specific era of German automotive culture, which was characterized by unrivaled innovative strength and creativity. A collector’s item par excellence. (jm)
