Auto Trends

We talk a lot about cool cars, but in the real world most people are too practical to actually own one. But there is no reason that you can’t take one out for a spin. In case you didn’t know, Avis has a program out that allows customers to roll in style with their rental needs.

They offer a series of “Ultimate Rides”, plus what they call “Joy Rides”. For around $100+ a day, you could settle yourself into the drivers seat of sweet ride and nobody will ever have to know that you were “impractical” for a day, and why not… you deserve it!

Let’s take a look at a few of the “Cool Cars” Avis has to choose from for the coming year:

2008 Chevrolet Corvette- First on a lot of peoples dream car lists has got to be the infamous Chevy Corvette. While not everybody’s fancy, for around $169.00 a day, you could experience exactly what it feels to have 430 horsepower resting comfortably underneath your right pinky toe! Each Avis Corvette will come complete in the convertible model with the standard 6.2 liter V-8, cruise control, active handling system, and power everything. The Corvettes have already been sold out through Spring in many areas, so if you want to get your hands on one, you better act quick.

2008 Cadillac CTS- If class and style are a little more what your caviar dreams are made of, then the Cadillac CTS offered through Avis will be a welcome change from the average practical car. The Cadillac does not feature quite the brawn of the Corvette, but its 304 horsepower 3.6 liter V-6 (coming this August), is very smooth and capable, and can see MPG’s in the range of 25-26 on the highway. But what you really rent with the Cadillac is not its engine, but its luxurious seating, sound system, 40 gigabyte navigation system, and bullet-proof six-speed transmission.

2008 Hummer H3 (Alpha)- If you have never driven a Hummer before, it is without a doubt an experience of its own. There is something very commanding about being behind the wheel of an infamous military vehicle sporting a 5.3 liter V-8 with 300 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. The H3 is not just cosmetic either, the new Alpha has been designed to go off the beaten path with its standard 4.10: 1 gear ratio and climb and play with the best of them. But if style among the city streets is what you are after, the Hummer is just as comfortable in the city and highways as off-road, and thanks to the new V-8, it can actually pass slower vehicles without the labor and groans of the old inline-5.

2008 Ford Mustang- While perhaps not the infamous Shelby Hertz GT-H, a Mustang is a Mustang and they are all fun to drive, especially this most recent body style. The Mustang GT offers noise, 300 horsepower, more noise, and an image of youth and vigor. While not quite as refined as most of the other cool cars in the Avis line-up, there is a kind of charm that goes along with the rough edges of the Mustang. It is not meant to be a smooth running, luxurious, technological marvel as much as it is a tribute to the days when loud engines and the smell of burning rubber were what defined high performance.

2008 Nissan 350Z- A little more refined than the Ford Mustang, the Nissan 350Z is a classic example of what a sports car should be. For 2008, the 3.5 liter V-6 has been boosted from last years 280 horsepower to its new 306 and 268 lb-ft of torque. Whether you like the standard coupe or Roadster models, Avis has you covered. Part of the beauty of the Nissan Z is its sporty interior, which, let’s face it, is where you will be spending the majority of the time anyway. Unlike the Mustang, the Z also has the sophisticated suspension you’d expect from an import, which means that if you like to do more than go fast in a straight line, then you’ll be in for a treat!

Beyond these popular favorites among renters there is also the choice of a Cadillac STS, Infiniti FX35, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, and Lincoln MKX.