Hertz has launched its "prestige collection" of vehicles, which includes pricey BMW and Mercedes models, at select European destinations in England, Germany and France. The company introduced the high-end fleet option in North America last year.

"The Hertz Prestige Collection complements Hertz's core business with a new niche market for prestige vehicles and first-class service," said Brian J. Kennedy, executive vice president for sales and marketing. "Before launching the collection in North America, we believed there would be a market for luxury rentals among business travelers, vacationers, people traveling to special events and those who just want to try out a great car or SUV. Our thoughts have been confirmed, and we've been pleased with the response of our customers. Expanding the Hertz Prestige Collection to select European cities is a logical move for us."

The European Prestige Collection features such vehicles as the Volvo S80 and V70, the Mercedes CLK Convertible, Mercedes E and S classes, and the BMW 5 and 7 series. Customers can reserve a car by model. All cars are hand-detailed before each rental.