3/20/2015 Dream Car Airport Rentals: Lamborghini, Tesla, and Ferrari Top Our List Please turn on background colors and images in print options
THE 11 SLICKEST AIRPORT RENTAL CARS IN AMERICA
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PUBLISHED ON 3/1/2015 BY GIANNI JACCOMA @gjaccoma
We can all agree: rental cars are almost universally lame. Compact, full-sized, whatever, rarely are you driving off the lot high-fiving about your four-door Kia Rio.
But for those willing to drop a little coin (as in, $180 to $1,200 a day), the airport rental car counter is like a veritable Narnia of souped-up muscle and tricked-out luxury. You just have to know what to ask for.
And to help you know, we tracked down the 11 coolest cars available, their average daily rates, and the airports at which you can rent them.
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FLICKR/MICHAEL ROSELLI Hertz Penske GT Top speed: 185mph Who has it: Hertz (LAX, LAS, SFO, IAD, SAN) How much it'll cost you: $180 per day Sure, this special Hertz version of the 2014 Ford Mustang sports a bold black-and-yellow racing stripe, but that's just the beginning; it's also been tricked out with around $4,500 worth of Ford Racing Performance upgrades. The only, unfortunate catch: they don't rent manual transmissions, so you'll have to "settle" for an automatic. Sorry dude.
http://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/dreamcarairportrentalslamborghiniteslaandferraritopourlist 1/7 3/20/2015 Dream Car Airport Rentals: Lamborghini, Tesla, and Ferrari Top Our List
FLICKR/ABDULLAH ALBARGAN Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Top speed: 195mph Who has it: Hertz, Enterprise (LAS, LAX, SAN) How much it'll set you back: $250 per day If you want a new take on an iconic American muscle car, but they're fresh outta Mustangs, this has to be your next choice. The seventh generation 'vette has a Small Block V8 that generates upwards of 450hp, and was one of TopSpeed's most hotly anticipated cars of 2014.
FLICKR/JAGUAR MENA Jaguar XJL Top speed: 155mph Who has it: Hertz (LAX, SAN, SFO, MIA, ORD, DFW) Enterprise (SAN, LAX) How much it'll set you back: $355 per day If having a spacious backseat for your lady friend's twin Shih Tzus is more important to you than, say, driving a Matchbox car, the XJL's longer wheelbase is the move. Sure, the extra legroom also means extra weight, but that doesn't make the 470hp V8 under the http://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/dreamcarairportrentalslamborghiniteslaandferraritopourlist 2/7 3/20/2015 Dream Car Airport Rentals: Lamborghini, Tesla, and Ferrari Top Our List hood any less impressive once you put your foot down... about the dogs riding in the car, of course.
FLICKR/MIHIMARU Tesla Model S Top speed: 130mph Who has it: Hertz (LAX, SFO) How much it'll cost you: $400 per day With a giant 17-inch touchscreen display built into the center console, five-point racing harnesses in every seat, and recessed door handles that automatically slide out as you approach the car, the Tesla S is every inch a techie/gearhead's dream. This puppy's 100% electric, so while you might miss the rumbling of a traditional engine at first, it's nothing that near-instantaneous acceleration can't fix.
FLICKR/DAVID VILLARREAL FERNANDEZ Nissan GT-R Top speed: 193mph Who has it: Hertz (MIA) http://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/dreamcarairportrentalslamborghiniteslaandferraritopourlist 3/7 3/20/2015 Dream Car Airport Rentals: Lamborghini, Tesla, and Ferrari Top Our List How much it'll set you back: $600 per day It's the only Japanese car on this list, but with 545hp and a 0-60mph time of less than three seconds, the GT-R is a clear frontrunner for the "too much car for your trip to the Miami Boat Show" award. Watch Paul Walker flex this thing's ample muscles in the opening race of Fast & Furious 6, then stop and realize that's somehow the least ridiculous scene in the movie.
FLICKR/W_MINSHULL Audi R8 Top speed: 185mph Who has it: Enterprise (LAX, SAN, LAS) How much it'll cost you: $900 per day You might recognize the R8 from Iron Man, or from its ceremonial position on the Dubai police force, but this supercar's not just for show. Built around the same chassis as the Lamborghini Gallardo, and equipped with Audi's signature quattro AWD system, the R8's aggressive stance on exceeding the speed limit (and, weirdly, immigration policy) is more than justified once you get behind the wheel.
FLICKR/DJANDYW.COM http://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/dreamcarairportrentalslamborghiniteslaandferraritopourlist 4/7 3/20/2015 Dream Car Airport Rentals: Lamborghini, Tesla, and Ferrari Top Our List Bentley Continental GT Top speed: 197mph Who has it: Enterprise (LAX, SAN) How much it'll cost you: $1,200 per day A favorite among rappers and rich Brits, the Bentley Continental GT blends the luxury and comfort of a Rolls Royce with the power, performance, and drop-top sportiness of a Porsche. Except, of course, without the inherent douchiness of driving a Porsche.
FLICKR/WINNING AUTOMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Top speed: 197mph Who has it: Hertz (DFW) How much it'll cost you: $1200 per day Who says you need to be Marty McFly to drive a sports car with sweet gull-wing doors? Sure, they're impossible to open in a packed parking lot, but with nearly 600hp at your disposal, you aren't stopping at Whole Foods anyway.
FLICKR/ALEXANDRE PRÉVOT http://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/dreamcarairportrentalslamborghiniteslaandferraritopourlist 5/7 3/20/2015 Dream Car Airport Rentals: Lamborghini, Tesla, and Ferrari Top Our List Maserati GranTurismo Top speed: 185mph Who has it: Enterprise (ATL) How much it'll cost you: $1,200 per day One of the main reasons anyone drives a Maserati is the visceral, soul-shattering growl its 4.2L V8 emits when you put your foot down on a straightaway. The other is to make people not notice that you're balding, 'cause you know, they're admiring the legendary Italian styling instead.
FLICKR/CARS OF BERKSHIRE Ferrari California Top speed: 196mph Who has it: Hertz (MIA), Enterprise (LAX, SAN) How much it'll cost you: $1200 per day The California is Ferrari's first front-engine V8, and while some stringent purists might denounce its looks as somehow unbecoming of the company's storied legacy, the simple fact remains: it's a Ferrari. A nearly 500hp, convertible Ferrari. End of conversation.
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FLICKR/ALEXANDRE PRÉVOT Lamborghini Gallardo Bicolore Top speed: 201mph Who has it: Hertz (MIA) How much it'll cost you: $1,200 per day Bicolore means "two colors" in Italian, and the dual-tone paint job here is pretty much the only thing "special" about this special edition, RWD Gallardo. Apart from that, it's pretty normal: just your average, run-of-the-mill, best-selling model of Lamborghini ever made, with 550 horses and a 3.9-sec 0-60 speed. You know, totally boring stuff.
Gianni Jaccoma is an editorial assistant for Thrillist Travel, and the coolest rental car he's ever been in was a Honda Fit. Follow him to the Lambo dealership on Twitter @gjaccoma
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