Hertz Rent a Car Launches Industry-First Family Collection in Europe

LONDON, April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

- Hertz Family Collection focuses on comfort, guaranteed availability, 5-star safety and free additional driver

- With Photo

Hertz, the world's leading general use car rental brand has launched a specially-tailored Family Collection in seven countries across Europe, featuring spacious and comfortable vehicles ideal for travel with family and friends. With Hertz's Family Collection parents will be able to share the driving duties with an additional driver included at no extra cost when using the discount code 748082 at booking. In addition, bookings made throughout April will include a free child seat. The Family Collection vehicles include Hertz's unique Make and Model Guarantee, meaning the car booked is the car the customer drives away. All cars come with a five star Euro NCAP safety rating. To reserve a vehicle from the Collection, customers can book by phone, or online by choosing the Family Collection option at http://www.hertz.co.uk.

Michel Taride, President, Hertz International and Executive Vice President, Hertz Corporation, said: "At Hertz we understand that our customers need a range of travel solutions to meet their requirements and with its focus on comfort, safety and guaranteed availability, the Hertz Family Collection is a prime example of our meeting customer requirements. We are excited to be launching a bespoke solution dedicated to families to make travelling easier and more enjoyable so they can focus on their time away. The Collection will provide families with everything they could need to make their journeys as seamless and stress-free as possible."

Through a long and established partnership with Opel and sister company Vauxhall, Hertz's Family Collection will feature the multi-purpose Opel Meriva as the hero car on the Continent, with the Vauxhall Meriva the hero car in the UK.  With a spacious and comfortable design ideal for families, the Meriva offers an innovative and practical FlexDoors® system for easier car entry; adjustable seating; and versatile, multi-level storage.  In addition to the Meriva, customers can choose from a range of family-friendly vehicles from the Family Collection including the Renault Scenic, Ford Galaxy and the Mercedes B Class, depending on location.

Luca Patrignani, Director of Marketing Operations, Opel Europe, said: "The Meriva is the perfect car for Hertz's Family Collection. With its flexible, functional and comfortable design, it adapts perfectly to each family member's needs.  It includes leading-class technology and clever innovations that help take the hassle out of travelling and make journeys easier and more pleasant."

Vehicles within the Family Collection by country are as follows:

    Belgium             Opel Meriva (available after launch)

    France              Opel Meriva
                        Mercedes B Class

    Germany             Opel Meriva

    Italy               Opel Meriva
                        Ford Galaxy
                        Peugeot 3008 (available after launch)

    Spain               Opel Meriva
                        Ford S-Max

    Netherlands         Renault Grand Scenic

    UK                  Vauxhall Meriva
                        Ford S-Max
                        Ford Galaxy

About Hertz

Hertz is the world's largest general use car rental company, operating from over 8,500 corporate locations in approximately 150 countries worldwide. Hertz is in its 93rd year of delivering quality car rental solutions to leisure and corporate customers.  Product and service innovations such as Hertz #1 Club Gold, Worldwide Online Check-in, specially designed NeverLost® satellite navigation systems, and unique cars offered through the company's Prestige, Fun, Green and Family Collections, set Hertz apart from the competition.

For more information please go to http://www.hertz.com.

About Opel

Opel, one of Europe's largest automakers, was founded 1862 in Rüsselsheim, Germany. The company with its headquarters in Ruesselsheim and its sister brand in the U.K., Vauxhall, sell vehicles in over 40 countries. The company operates plants and development centers in 7 European countries, and employs 40,000 people (as of December 2011). In 2011, Opel sold over 1.2 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in Europe, achieving a market share of 6.1 percent. With the market introduction of the electric Opel Ampera, the company has founded a new segment in the European automotive market and underlines its role as a trendsetter for progressive mobility solutions.

Note to Editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

Hertz Press Contacts

Caroline Trotman Dickenson
Ketchum Pleon
T: +44(0)20-7611-3686
E: caroline.trotman-dickenson@ketchumpleon.com 

Jana Kapeller
Ketchum Pleon
T: +44(0)20-7611-3638
E: jana.kapeller@ketchumpleon.com