RENT A PORSCHE WITH AVIS

Porsche’s esteemed reputation was founded on the innovative design and engineering excellence that allowed its nimble little models of the 1950s to outpace larger and more powerful cars. Among the brand’s many enviable achievements since then has been its success in the famous Le Mans 24-hour race where to date it has scored a record 19 outright victories.

Over the decades the Porsche 911 has advanced technologically in leaps and bounds. It has become more spacious, more refined, more powerful, increasingly better equipped and more luxurious. Boxes ticked! It has seen competitors come and go, and, as further measures of its success, the 911 has notched-up over 20,000 race wins and the millionth 911 rolled off the Zuffenhausen production line in 2017.

Mere figures can’t do the current 911 Carrera S justice, but for the record its 3-litre flat-six turbo engine now makes 420hp – good for 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds and a 191mph max. At its core the car remains a hugely rewarding, pin-sharp driving machine with a distinctive and evocative soundtrack.

Although it’s not been around for as long, the powerful Cayenne is no less of an achiever. It’s been Porsche’s best-selling model, not least because it’s widely regarded as the sports car among SUVs. And with a sharpened exterior design, the current Cayenne’s appeal has been further enhanced. As a high-performance SUV that seats five and has sliding split/fold rear seats with up to 1,710 litres of luggage space, the Cayenne is truly multi-talented.

It’s well known that the company’s founder, Dr Ferdinand Porsche, designed the VW Beetle, but he also created the world’s first petrol/electric hybrid vehicle in the early 1900s. More recently the company has employed hybrid power in the Cayenne from 2010, as well as the 918 Spyder hypercar introduced in 2013 and the recent three-time Le Mans-winning 919 endurance racer.

Conversely, Cayenne models have also been diesel-powered since 2009, but in early 2018 Porsche dropped diesel from its entire model range and has no plans to reintroduce.

Meanwhile, development of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV technology is firing on all cylinders. The all-electric 600hp Porsche Taycan is due for launch in 2019, and by 2025 it’s expected that half of all Porsches will feature electric drive.

Having introduced the world’s first turbocharged supercar in 1975 – the 911 Turbo – it wasn’t until 2015 that turbos featured on other production 911 models, one of which being the Carrera S which is available for hire with Avis.

Make a Porsche Cayenne or 911 your car rental of choice and click here for more information on Porsche car hire from Avis Prestige.