Connect by Hertz Becomes Only Car Sharing Club to Sign Fleet Partnership With Fiat
By Hertz, PRNEWednesday, September 1, 2010
Connect by Hertz Introduces Alfa Romeo MiTo Sports Car to Car Sharing Club Fleet Along With More Fiat 500s to Meet Growing Demand
UXBRIDGE, England, September 2, 2010 - Connect by Hertz, The Hertz Corporation's (NYSE: HTZ) global
car sharing club, today announced its exclusive partnership with Fiat to
introduce the iconic Alfa Romeo MiTo and add more Fiat 500s to its fleet.
Connect by Hertz will be the only car sharing club offering the new Fiat
models, supplying members with the opportunity to click, book and drive the
latest additions at www.connectbyhertz.com.
The sporty Alfa Romeo MiTo has won wide acclaim for its
unprecedented fusion of head-turning high end style, engineering flair,
dynamic performance and driving pleasure. To celebrate this exclusive
partnership and the addition of the exciting new vehicles, Connect by Hertz
is offering customers the chance to get behind the wheel of a MiTo from just
GBP5 an hour until September 30th 2010. The regular price is GBP6.95.
Customers can also book and drive the Fiat 500 from just GBP3.95 an hour.
Driving rates include insurance, fuel, maintenance, cleaning,
roadside assistance and congestion charges and tax following payment of an
annual membership fee of GBP50. Incorporating the latest technology, the cars
are equipped with keyless entry via a smart chip-enabled Connect Card.
Both the Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo MiTo each have a CO2 output
of less than 120g/km - exceeding the average voluntary target of 140g/km CO2
output set by the EU for the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.
The low emissions combined with the excellent fuel economy and the vehicles'
compact size are ideal for city dwellers who want an eco-friendly car on
their doorstep without the cost of vehicle ownership.
Bob Stuart, Senior Vice President of Global Sales at Hertz,
comments: "We are extremely excited to have formed this exclusive alliance
with Fiat for our car sharing club offer in the UK. The addition of the Alfa
Romeo MiTo and the expansion of our Fiat 500 fleet really demonstrate Connect
by Hertz's commitment to transforming the way we travel in the city. The Fiat
500 has been extremely popular with customers, so we are reacting accordingly
by adding more of these to the service. Both cars offer innovative and
eco-friendly alternatives while remaining at the height of fashion - a
perfect combination for our members."
The simple click, book and drive system means customers have
access to a self-service fleet of cars and vans 24/7 which can be booked
online or over the phone using a debit or credit card. The latest keyless
technology and neighbourhood parking provide an exceptionally convenient way
of driving around the city.
"The Connect arrangement fits very well into our fleet
strategy and is a high-profile, exciting deal," says Andrew Humberstone,
managing director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK and Ireland.
"This gives us a significant retail platform as this is
exactly the right audience for our products," adds Paolo Lo Monaco, finance
and business development director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK and Ireland. "It
puts the Fiat 500 and Alfa MiTo right where we want them to be - in the hands
of young, environmentally-conscious people who are free-thinking about the
car they want to drive."
About Connect by Hertz
The fleet of Connect by Hertz is carefully chosen based on a
set of aggressive standards established in the categories of
manufacturing/maintenance quality, environmental sustainability, safety, and
a blend of fun and functionality. The fleet includes: Alfa Romeo Mito, MINI
Cooper D, Fiat 500, Ford Focus and Ford Transit LWB Vans (London), MINI
Cooper D, Opel Meriva and Opel Corsa (Paris), MINI Cooper D, Ford Focus and
Nissan Pixo (Berlin), MINI Cooper D, Toyota Yaris and Toyota Verso (Madrid)
and Toyota Prius (New York City).
Connect by Hertz adapts the latest in end-to-end telematics to
further provide superior customer service. Upon making a reservation, each
member receives an email confirmation on bookings as well as a SMS alert
indicating the reserved car's license plate and location. To unlock and
engage the vehicle, members simply need to swipe their card over the car's
radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader.
About Hertz
Hertz is the world's largest general use car rental company, operating
from over 8,200 corporate locations in 146 countries. Hertz is now in its
91st year of delivering quality car rental solutions to leisure and corporate
customers. Product and service innovations such as Hertz #1 Club Gold,
specially designed NeverLost satellite navigation systems, Hertz in-car DVD
Entertainment and unique cars offered through the company's Prestige, Fun and
Green Collections, set Hertz apart from the competition.
About Fiat
One of the pioneer companies in the automobile industry, Fiat
has produced around 90 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles,
including more than 400 models since 1899, when the company was founded in
Turin, Italy. Some of Fiat's vehicles have represented milestones in
automotive history. The Automobiles business area of Fiat Group encompasses
Fiat Group Automobiles (Fiat Automobiles SpA, Alfa Romeo Automobiles SpA,
Lancia Automobiles SpA, Abarth SpA and Fiat Light Commercial Vehicles SpA),
Ferrari SpA and Maserati SpA.
www.fiat.co.uk
For further information, contact: Alicia Mistry Ketchum Pleon Email: alicia.mistry@ketchumpleon.com Tel: +44(0)20-7611-3574 Caroline Trotman-Dickenson Ketchum Pleon Email:caroline.trotman-dickenson@ketchumpleon.com Tel: +44(0)20-7611-3686
For further information, contact: Alicia Mistry, Ketchum Pleon, Email: alicia.mistry at ketchumpleon.com, Tel: +44(0)20-7611-3574; Caroline Trotman-Dickenson, Ketchum Pleon, Email:caroline.trotman-dickenson at ketchumpleon.com, Tel: +44(0)20-7611-3686
Tags: England, Hertz, September 2, United Kingdom, Uxbridge