2020 Hertz-Hendrick Camaro ZL1 and SS to spice up rental fleets

So you’re in need of a rental car after a long flight crammed in coach class. Your choices are a mind-numbing sea of gray or white economy sedans, carbon-copy crossovers or behemoth SUVs. Or, the sales clerk says, sensing your lack of enthusiasm, perhaps you’d prefer something with a little more sizzle? There is another option, he says with a raised eyebrow.

Starting next month at select Hertz airport locations, you’ll be able to rent a new limited-edition 2020 Hertz-Hendrick Camaro in either a 750-horsepower ZL1 or a 480-hp Camaro SS variant, both painted in Hertz’s signature black with yellow striping and given performance upgrades. Both are courtesy of the partnership between the car-rental giant and 12-time NASCAR Cup Series champs Hendrick Motorsports, with a total of 224 examples available for reservation starting in mid-October.

The Hertz-Hendrick Camaro ZL1 comes equipped with the same 6.2-liter V8 as the original, but it has a larger Callaway Supercharger to boost output to 750 hp, up from 650. It also comes equipped with custom Hertz wheels and lighted door sill plates, fender badges. The headrests are embroidered with the signature of Hertz-sponsored Hendrick driver William Byron and the No. 24 team logo. Fittingly, there will be 24 examples built, all with a Hertz-Hendrick Motorsports plaque the individual numbering of each model.

For the Camaro SS, Hendrick engineers wrangled an extra 25 hp out of the 6.2-liter LT1 V8 to get 480 hp. They added a performance upgrade package including a cold air intake and cat-back dual exhaust upgrade system, both from Chevrolet, 20-inch satin black wheels, custom exterior graphics, a strut tower bar with Hendrick Motorsports branding, custom Hertz lighted plates on the door sills, and the same embroidered headrests as on the ZL1. It also gets the same plaques, but these mark the individual numbering of 200 examples.

Too bad these are only available to rent and not own, you say? Well that wouldn't be capitalism now, would it? Starting today, Sept. 18, through Nov. 15, customers can enter a sweepstakes that will see five finalists participate in a driving experience with Byron at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, including a private tour of the Hendrick facilities, NASCAR Hall of Fame passes and lunch with Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick team. At the end of it, the five finalists will each receive a specially coded key, and the one that actually starts the 2020 limited-edition Camaro SS gets to keep it. You can enter here. 

For everyone else, the Hertz-Hendrick Camaro ZL1 and SS will be available at Hertz airport locations in Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas; Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Miami, Orlando and Tampa, Fla.; Houston; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Nashville, Tenn.; Phoenix; San Diego; and San Francisco.