By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

Lot of people over on StreetFire are making fun of these dudes for all their screaming and the top speed claims. But that said, this looks like exactly like what I want to do on vacation, especially if I was in Germany. Bravo, gentlemen.

By John Coyle

Deputy Editor

So is Hertz officially the coolest rental car company ever? It already rents Corvettes, and went as far as to have special edition Shelby GT-500 Mustangs produced specifically for its fleet. And now it’s Italian outposts are going to let people off the lot behind the wheel of an Elise or Exige? What? It’s like the company doesn’t understand what people do with rental cars. Obviously, it’d be cooler if these pocket rockets were going to be available stateside, but since either of these British roadsters would be welcome in my dream garage, I’ll forgive them. Read the fully press release after the jump. Hertz via Jalopnik.

Continue reading "Italian Hertz Locations Renting the Elise and Exige" »

By Katherine Helmetag

Atomicalex

I always snicker at Chrysler’s choice of name for this car, because there’s no avenging the sin(s) of the Sebring. The Avenger I rented this week for a trip to Cleveland was beat up inside and out and showed every one of the 37,000 miles it had already survived. With a plasticky interior that’s a step down from the Caliber and exterior styling that’s several steps down from the Charger, you’d think I plan to pour some hate on this snub-nosed and ugly little runner. But you’d be wrong - many of the things I love to complain about in rentals were right in this one. Most importantly, the switchgear was easy to find and clearly labeled and I didn’t have to struggle to keep the car in line or worry about stopping. The Avenger was screwed together tightly and aside from poor rear visibility thanks to the fugly blackout panels on the rear doors, was easy to drive with a decent powertrain (rough in idle, but better than the G5). Add in a capacious trunk and modest-but-capable handling and brakes, and you have a decent pick for the one- or two-person road trip. Looks like Rob liked the Avenger he rented last summer, too.

I love rental cars. Not for the hoonage they frequently inspire, but because they are the opposite of press cars. Press cars tend to be higher-end models—the point is to impress the press, after all—whereas rentals are the base-model strippers that no one would ever pretend to own. The Toyota Yaris I picked up outside of LAX last week is a great example of why Americans will never willingly WANT econoboxes. Think of every bad Saturn Ion review you’ve read and pick out the worst parts. Throw in rock-hard seats and rattling interior trim, and you have the base Yaris. And don’t get me started on the gauge pod: at least the one in the Ion faces you. This one faces the cop behind you. And what’s with the cool coolant light in there? Can’t I already tell there’s no heat yet? Rental recommendation: ask the counter staff if you can size up, or at least swap it out for a different econo.

Continue reading "Rental: Toyota Yaris" »

If this poster is real—and it looks legit—then it’s pretty clear who the next Batman villain will be. While it’s a shame that Heath Ledger won’t be around to reprise his role as the Joker, I think the filmmakers made a good choice as to who the Caped Crusader will battle next. Anyway, here’s the news:

• As fans of Top Gear know, ace test pilot the Stig doesn’t talk. So it was a little surprising to hear that a review of Nissan’s GT-R was posted under his name on TG’s blog. Of course, after seeing what he wrote, it’s not really that surprising. Top Gear
• With all the energy car companies are devoting to green technologies, it seems counter intuitive that Lotus would be developing a new two-stroke motor. But the "Omnivore"—a direct-injection, variable compression engine—will burn anything actually sounds like it might make two strokes a viable option for passenger cars. Jalopnik 
• Aston Martin makes some of the most gorgeous cars in the world, and now, the company is looking to build one of the fastest. Only 77 of the "One-77" will be built, and the car will reportedly top out at 220MPH. Auto Express
• Remember that Hertz Corvette which wound up crashing through the front of a Dallas restaurant? Well, as it turns out, it wasn’t the drivers fault. Seriously, the restaurant jumped right out in front of it. Just kidding. CarScoop
• Ma Mopar is closing one of its mini van plants, and the workers aren’t taking it lying down. Today, hundreds of folks showed up to Chrysler’s Auburn Hills complex to protest the move. Detroit News

A new rental agency in California is gearing up to rent out hybrid cars, ranging from the Prius to the GMC Yukon, with plans to add the more novel Tesla, Fisker, and Volt once they can get their hands on some. Eqocar‘s rates aren’t too much higher than those of regular rental agencies, but like they say, you can’t put a price on smug. Plus if could provide an easy means to test-drive a Fisker, wouldn’t you do it?

Via Edmunds

This weekend is SeaFair, the Emerald City’s annual celebration of summer. The festivities involve a performance by the Blue Angels, and right now their F-18 Hornets are practicing over the city. While I really, truly, love watching fighter planes, seeing these babies ripping up the skies over Seattle always makes me realize how terrifying it would be if they were hostile. Anyway, here’s the news:

• Ferrari has denied that Michael Schmacher was behind the wheel during the recent wreck of a F430 prototype at the ‘Ring, but there’s no doubt that the van he was driving nailed a pedestrian on Sunday. The man wasn’t seriously hurt, and Schmacher was reportedly pissed at him for getting in the way. Classy. Daily Mail via Jalopnik
• Now, on the surface, letting anyone who can pay take a high-powered sports car out on to the road unsupervised seems like a great idea. But after one of its rental ‘Vettes smashed into a Dallas restaurant, the folks at Hertz might be able to point out some possible snags in that otherwise perfect plan. Winding Road
• High gas prices have caused SUV sales to stall—some dealers are even refusing to take them as trade-ins—but are these road monsters really dead? One writer seems to think so, and he couldn’t be happier. San Francisco Chronicle
• While rubble from a Dallas restaurant is pretty unusual stuff to find in a rental car, this list of weird items forgotten upon return is awesome. A half pint of beer and an instructional CD called the art of Speed Seduction? That combination has success written all over it! CarScoop

I just got back from a little vacation down in California. After Mike Musto’s experience on Bullrun, I was hoping to get a Ford Fusion rental car, but I ended up with a Dodge Avenger instead. Now, the Avenger and the Sebring have been brutalized by the automotive press, so I was a bit apprehensive at first. Plus, our car was a nasty gold color, and had recently been detailed with a product that made the whole thing smell like urinal cake. The car had 17,000 miles on it, which is quite a bit for a rental car. And the front bumper had been hit fairly hard at one point, causing it to separate slightly from the grill and lights (I made sure that was noted by the rental car folks before leaving). I could have made a stink and switched cars, but I had a hot, tired family and we just wanted to get on with it. Continue reading…

Continue reading "Dodge Avenger Rental Car" »

After my experience with Mr. Angry’s Fusion on Bullrun, I’ve been thinking that rental cars are the way to go for a rally. Hell, it’s a lot more fun to flog a car that you have no investment in, and you also don’t have to bother shipping your ride anywhere. So I really wish I could do the Rental Car Rally from NYC to Montreal. The entrance fee is only $150, and from the tone of the rules page, it sounds like the people throwing it would be pretty cool to hang out with. If you’re close to NYC and are free August 15th and 16th, I’d recommend doing it.   

Last night, Rob, Jen and I went to dinner with Bob Lutz and some honchos from GM. He’s genuinely fun to talk to, and it was a blast. During the conversation, I took the opportunity to tell the folks from the General that they should use "Brand New Cadillac" by the Clash for the CTS-V campaign. Unfortunately, none of them new who the Clash was, but they did seem intrigued. Let’s hope they take my advice. Anyway, here’s the news:

• Edmunds just sold its long-term Ferrari 308 tester on eBay for 30 grand. With all the work they had done it to it over the last year, that seems like a pretty good deal. Makes me wish I had the money to buy it. Edmunds
• Jay Leno has gone and picked up his Challenger, and of course, there was a camera crew there to document the event. Given the choice, I’d rather have the car he rolled up in, but hey, what do I know. World Car Fans
• Turns out breaking up is hard to do. While the General was going to air an ad that was essentially a "Dear John" letter to Big Oil, plans aren’t so certain now. Hey, a love this strong doesn’t just go away overnight. Automotive News
• Rental car companies have always soaked customers who return cars with less than a full tank, but with fuel prices at a record high, they’re really turning up the heat. Seriously, how does $8 a gallon sound. Freep