Rental cars are your one chance to go burn rubber in something that you don't own. Jalopnik readers are here to maximize your holiday horsepower intake with the ten fastest rental cars available from the major companies in this country.
Yes, someone will rent you a Ferrari somewhere, but that's not an option for most people.
Welcome back to Answers of the Day — our daily Jalopnik feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
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Photo Credit: Andrew Louis
10.) Chevy Camaro SS
Suggested By: RXEight
Why it's so fast: For some reason, rental car companies expect regular human beings to sit behind a 426 horsepower V8 and bring the car back in one piece. The spring to sixty takes about five seconds, which is encouragement enough to sign up for the insurance.
Where it's available: Budget (convertible), Hertz Adrenaline Collection (coupe)
Photo Credit: Pedro Lourenco Venda
9.) Porsche Panamera V6
Suggested By: Pcleez
Why it's so fast: Even the smallest-engined Porsche sedan has 300 horsepower and one of the more capable chassis available. Through they spend live lives ferrying people at 25 miles an hour to country clubs, they're still quick cars.
Where it's available: Southern California, Las Vegas, and San Francisco with the Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise, as well as with the Hertz Prestige Collection
Photo Credit: Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise
8.) Maserati GranTurismo
Suggested By: Pcleez, 05sonic3valve
Why it's so fast: The mirthful Italian coupe has a 405-horsepower V8, which manages to heave up to 60 in just over five seconds. Like the Panamera, these cars are bought to be boulevardiers, but have a lot of performance potential.
Where it's available:
Photo Credit: Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise
7.) Mustang GT
Suggested By: My X-type is too a real Jaguar
Why it's so fast: This car is a five-liter V8 engine. Even though it's grown remarkably capable in the corners over the past two to seven years, the 412 horsepower is what you will be thinking about behind the wheel.
Where it's available: Most places carry Mustangs and GTs, like Budget and the Hertz Adrenaline Collection
Photo Credit: Nick Ares
6.) Tesla Roadster
Suggested By: Pcleez
Why it's so fast: It's a huge battery pack and electric motor in a lightweight Lotus chassis. You'll get to sixty in something around four seconds, though you may want to stick to shorter drives if you're doing hard driving all day. You don't want to run out of power up in the LA hills.
Where it's available: Hertz Prestige Collection
Photo Credit: NRMA Motoring and Services
5.) Mercedes-Benz C63 and E63 AMG
Suggested By: Pcleez
Why it's so fast: They're four-door Mercedes sedans with 6.2 liter V8s in them. Horsepower is up to 451 for the C-class and 518 for the E-class. That's enough to happily spin the rear wheels all day, which is what you're going to want to be doing on your days off.
Where it's available: Hertz Prestige Collection
Photo Credit: Jeffrey Sitthi
4.) Porsche 911 Carrera
Suggested By: Pcleez
Why it's so fast: This is the car with the most capable chassis available for rent. The flat-six puts out 350 horsepower in its most recent trim, which is good enough for 0-60 in the mid fours. If you rent one in a big city, you won't impress anyone with the base model looks, so just go take it out for drives like you're supposed to.
Where it's available: Southern California and Las Vegas at the Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise
Photo Credit: Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise
3.) Bentley Continental GT Convertible
Suggested By: Pcleez
Why it's so fast: Enterprise actually rents out the whole fat W12 model of the Conti GT, complete with 552 horsepower. It won't be the most nimble car, especially as you can only rent the convertible, but it should blow your mind as a twin-turbo, twelve cylinder Phaeton drop top should.
Where it's available: Southern California with the Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise
Photo Credit: Exotic Car Collection by Enterprise
2.) Jaguar XKR
Suggested By: DownTheLiffeyOnADonut
Why it's so fast: The Jaguar XK is no slow car on its own, but then Jaguar supercharged the five liter V8 up to 510 horsepower. From experience, I can tell you it's mind-bendingly fast for the uninitiated, and will scare the pants off of you if you're used to driving around in a Prius.
Where it's available: Hertz at LAX
Photo Credit: Raphael Orlove
1.) Corvette ZHZ
Suggested By: dogisbadob, PegasusGT500
Why it's so fast: It's a 436 horsepower Corvette with big tires and bigger brakes. It's an automatic, but it still does 0-60 in the low fours. You will reach your limits long before the car reaches its own. As they say, she's fast enough for you, old man.
If you, however, really do need a fix of speed, you can always fit it with NOS and go racing against GT-Rs like a madman. That's about as fast as a rental car can possibly be.
Where it's available: "Select major markets" at Hertz
Photo Credit: Shiny Things