If you wish to please a car fan with an amazing gift, treating them to the best driving experiences is a must. In terms of items, have a look at our guide to gifts for petrolheads, but if you want the crème de la crème of motoring gifts, a driving experience tops the rankings.
We're no strangers to incredible driving experiences at CAR. Leonard (L.J.K.) Setright travelled in the then-new Lamborghini Miura for a full 1,000 miles from Sant'Agata Bolognese to England in our December 1967 issue. Unless you're lucky enough to own one of the 764 ever made, nobody else could ever replicate that.
That level of adventure can only exist in dreams for the rest of us. So, we usually have to make do with car related gifts, inspired by our Ferrari gift guide. But the good news is, there is an extraordinarily wide range of driving experiences available all over the UK. from supercar drives to rallying to tank driving. So, we can create our own memories and have a great driving experience to tell, like our late Setright.
Best driving experiences at a glance:
Editor's pick: Ultimate Driving Voucher - buy from Amazon.
Best classic experience: Best of British Driving Experience - buy from Virgin Experience Days.
Best tank driving experience: Tank Driving Taster - buy from Virgin Experience Days.
Another great thing about driving experiences is that they are so addictive on the day, they kind of leave you wanting more. After you've done a sprint in a Mustang and GT40, (the ultimate in Ford gifts) you may notice other cars on the same track that you didn't book. Which can only mean one thing, you'll have to try them out next time.
Best driving experiences
Editor's pick
Via Red Letter DaysDescription
While you may be sure that a driving experience is what you want to be a gift, exactly which
Pros
- Huge variety in experiences available
- Great value
Cons
- You'll have a hard time choosing what you want
Best value supercar driving experience
Via Red Letter DaysDescription
This is simply a concise version like a pocket dictionary. Half the price and with 250 activities
Pros
- Great variety in experiences on offer
- Very value
Cons
- A tricky list to choose from
Most prestigious driving experience
Via McLaren Newsroomwww.experiencedays.co.uk
Description
Driving supercars is a fairly safe bet for a driving experience. No petrolhead is going to object
Pros
- Thrilling cars to choose from
- The ability to drive such things at a young age
Cons
- Modern supercars aren't for everyone
Most comprehensive driving experience
Via Virgin Experience Dayswww.virginexperiencedays.co.uk
Description
While the supercar driving experience above is fantastic, the only drawback of it is that the
Pros
- Great selection of cars on offer
- Great variety in cars to mix in the package
Cons
- Driving distance is very short
Best classic driving experience
Via Virgin Experience Dayswww.virginexperiencedays.co.uk
Description
While most of us adore classic British cars, almost none of us can quite bring ourselves to buy
Pros
- Great set of cars to choose from
- You'll come back wanting to drive more
Cons
- Driving distance is very short
Best dirt buggy driving experience
Via Experience Dayswww.experiencedays.co.uk
Description
Hardcore off-road buggies are every bit as quick as supercars, with a less refined edge to really
Pros
- Buggy experiences are always epic fun
- Something different from the norm
Cons
- Be prepared for a bath later
Best rally driving experience
Via Experience Dayswww.experiencedays.co.uk
Description
Continuing with the off-road theme is a half-day drive in a rally car. So often, driving
Pros
- Unique lesson and experience of rally driving
- Qualified, experienced instructors
Cons
- You'll be driving Citroen C2s as opposed to Lancia 037s
Best muscle car driving experience
Via Virgin Experience Dayswww.virginexperiencedays.co.uk
Description
The car fan you're buying for may well be an avid muscle car enthusiast, in which case driving a
Pros
- The cars are great fun
- All the V8 noises
Cons
- The Mustang only has 250bhp
Best drifting experience
Via Experience Dayswww.experiencedays.co.uk
Description
Like football, drifting is one of those sports that people don't necessarily enjoy watching but
Pros
- Unique experience learning to drift
- Massive, massive fun
Cons
- Requires intense concentration!
Best off-road driving experience
Via Experience Dayswww.experiencedays.co.uk
Description
Off-roading provides a different sort of excitement to high-speed circuit driving. The feeling of
Pros
- You get to drive a Land Rover
- Off-roading experiences teach you a lot
Cons
- Your clothes may get quite muddy
Best tank driving experience
Via Virgin Experience Dayswww.virginexperiencedays.co.uk
Description
Using military hardware out of a warzone provides a true feeling of invincibility that is
Pros
- Driving a tank is a massive bucket list tick-off
- Experienced instructors to guide you
Cons
- Age requirement depends on location
Best stunt driving experience
Via Virgin Experience Dayswww.virginexperiencedays.co.uk
Description
Last but not least is a stunt driving session. Here, participants drive a selection of fast Fords
Pros
- A course on advanced driving
- Experienced instructors guide you
Cons
- All locations are down south
Why do we love driving experiences?
Simple reason being, while BMW gifts are great, the best driving experiences allow everyone to have a go in a car of their dreams. Whether said dream cars are a Caterham or a Lamborghini, there is always something for everyone.
As well as treating yourself to some amazing Porsche gifts, ticking off cars in a petrolhead's bucket list is a guaranteed feel-good experience. Especially when you're going at high speed on an airfield or ploughing through swamps in a Land Rover.
We also love them because they make us want more. Anyone up for tank driving at some point? They're certainly more involved in off-roading than any Subaru Impreza will ever be.
What's the best driving experience you'd recommend the most?
Giving a MK1 Lotus Cortina the full attack is certainly unforgettable. A proper Jim Clark moment!
Chris Williams is a Senior Product Writer for CAR, also working for Live For The Outdoors. An expert in camping and muscle cars, he spends most of his time up a mountain or laying rubber.