petrolhead
/ˈpɛtr(ə)lhɛd/noun British informal
A car fanatic.If ever there was a device that so perfectly excites the petrolhead to the complete astonishment of lentil-lovers, it's the sports exhaust....
- Nowadays, the sport does not attract such attention but has lost none of its allure for petrolheads of all ages because rallycross is a unique spectacle that combines the best of the rallying and circuit-racing worlds.
- To most of the 80,000 petrolheads who will fill the stands at the Kent circuit, A1 is another reason to spend Sunday afternoons watching cars whizzing round in circles.
Origin
1980s (originally Australian): from petrol + -head2.