Elite Auto Rental Blog

As the first blockbuster romantic comedy in years, the Sex and the City movie is getting a lot of attention. Based on the popular HBO TV series, the movie picks up four years after the show ended, showing us turning points in the lives of its four main characters: Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, and Samantha. But the movie is more than just a showcase for flawed female characters and high fashion; it also gives us a glimpse of some great exotic cars.

“I first heard about the film in August last year,” Ferdinand Froning, the head of Mercedes’ Entertainment Liason Office in Los Angeles, told the Telegraph. “I’ve a friend who was a PR for the project and they wanted to work with us. This is so influential, it’s the same cast as the TV series, the same crew, Sarah Jessica Parker is executive producer, we just had to be linked.”

[Photo Credit New Line Cinema for both images.]

Mercedes appearance in the film reflects the company’s real life sponsorship of New York Fashion Week. They also worked out a deal with producers to feature Mercedes automobiles in many of the scenes. Mercedes has also launched a cool minisite dedicated to the film.

“Product placement is a great way to expose people to a car brand,” says Ron Sturgeon, owner of a Dallas exotic car rental company. “Some people may choose to buy a Mercedes based on the company’s film exposure. Others will choose to rent a Mercedes and avoid the hassle of owning an exotic or luxury car.”

Exotic, classic, and luxury car rental may indeed get a boost from the film. Sex and the City is all about brands. Carrie wears Manolo Blahniks. Samantha famously sacrifices her integrity to get a Hermes bag. Charlotte had an engagement ring from Tiffany and Co. And you can bet Miranda’s business suits don’t come from the nearest Dress Barn. If the girls drive the lastest Mercedes, women everywhere will want to do the same.

However, wanting to ride in a Mercedes and actually plunking down $90,000 for a luxury car are two very different things. Most of us just don’t have the bankroll to run down to our nearest Mercedes dealer and drive away in the new Mercedes SL500. That’s where exotic, classic, and luxury car rental comes in. You can afford to splurge on those Manolos and still drive the exotic car of your dreams.

“I’m sure the film will be a major influence,” says Sturgeon, who also owns a Dallas exotic car club and a company that provides automotive dream tours. “Exotic car rental is a really popular alternative.”

Froning told the Telegraph that product placement is a delicate art. “If you are too blatant, the audience will realize it is a commercial,” he said. “You have to trust the director and the creative people.”

Only time will tell whether Mercedes sales and Mercedes rentals will increase due to the exposure they receive in Sex and the City or on their Mercedes minisite dedicated to the film.

Kate Miller-Wilson is a freelance writer living in the Twin Cities. Visit her website or email her for information about her freelance writing services.

New and VERY LIMITED Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren 722 edition. Get’em while they’re hot, for they are in a very limited supply, 150 to be exact.

A little bit of history here; back in 1955 Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson won the Mille Miglia in a MB SLR that they, in a sense, created the trademark for MB: 722. Why the odd number? This was the team’s starting time in the race, 7:22AM, thus the huge red number painted on their car. So now the car maker has given this same number to a limited edition of the old SLR, the McLarren built SLR.

If you don’t own one, you can be one of the few, the proud, and the “about $1 million less in my bank account” group. Actual cost is about $480,000, plus figure getting here to the US and paying the luxury vehicle tax and so on, will tally up to right around that $1 million mark.

They will be painted Crystal Antimony Grey and come with unique 19″ alloy wheels that are painted black. Drive train  is an impressive 5.5L supercharged V8 which is hand=built in the AMG engine shop in Affalterbach, generating 650HP and boasting a 0-60 speed at 3.7 seconds! Top speed is reported to get up to about 210Mph.

Interior, bucket-type seats are upholstered in leather/Alcantara which are made to provide outstanding lateral support. Combine this with Lamborghini-style doors and a sleek aerodynamic body and you have one helluva ride!