The Rent-a-Racer program is back at Hertz. For $500 a day, you can drive a 435-horsepower beast.
Want to go racing, but don’t have a track-ready car or the cash handy to buy one. No problem. Head over to Hertz and, assuming you can pass the background check, you can scream off the lot in the latest iteration of the Shelby GT-H.
That’s right. Fill out the form, slide them your credit card number and for $500 a day, you could tool – or jet – around town in a 435-horsepower Carol Shelby-inspired muscle car.
Hertz is once again teaming with performance car outfitter Shelby American to bring back its super-sized Ford Mustang, the Shelby GT-H. Clad in their tradition black with two gold racing stripes, Hertz is renting 140 of the cars, at 17 Hertz airport rental locations.
Available for rent beginning Memorial Day weekend, the cars have a 50-year history with with Hertz. The company originally offered the tricked out racers for the first time in 1966. At that time, Carroll Shelby modified the Mustangs into the 306-horsepower GT350-H.
Back then, they were known as “rent a racers,” because that’s most often what they were used for by the folks picking them up. The project was a public relations bonanza for the rental car company. The company recaptured the magic 10 years ago with a 40-year anniversary model.
The current iteration is certainly living up its heritage.
Hertz has brought back the Shelby GT-H. It marks the third time, and the first in 10 years, that rental car customers can rent basically a track-ready car.
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“We worked closely with Ford Performance to make the 2016 Shelby GT-H the most exciting Mustang ever to wear the iconic Hertz black-and-gold livery,” says Joe Conway, CEO of Shelby American, in a statement.
Powered by a 5.0-liter V-8, the new features a Shelby hood with functional air intakes and air extractors to aid engine cooling. A carbon-fiber splitter, fancy rocker panels and a rear spoiler help with handling as does the Ford Performance handling pack that lowers the car by an inch and boasts special-tuned dampers, lowering springs, sway bars and a staggered wheel kit.
“Our goal was to give everyone a chance to add some fun to their travel with a distinctive American pony car,” said Doug White, Ford Performance Parts manager.
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“So Ford Performance and Shelby American sharpened the handling, improved the performance, sweetened the exhaust note and added distinctive Hertz styling to the Mustang. Anyone who rents a limited edition Ford Shelby GT-H will enjoy a very special driving experience.”
Each car sports a Hertz Edition emblem on the front fenders, and features Hertz Shelby GT-H sill plates and a numbered badge. Special badges appear in the front grille, rear faux gas cap and trunk lid. Inside, Shelby GT-H logos are on the head restraint, sill plates and floor mats.
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Hertz says there will be between five and 15 GT-Hs available at any single location, and the cars will shift to locations in warmer-weather states in the fall when snow comes to the north. The new GT-H is part of the company’s Adrenaline collection, which features Chevy Corvettes and Camaros, Mustang GT and the Dodge Challenger.