Hertz Europe has expanded its monthly car subscription service, My Hertz Weekend, which is now available in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

This flexible alternative to vehicle ownership provides customers with access to a car from Thursday to Monday.

"A convenient alternative to car sharing and leasing, My Hertz Weekend responds to the current shift in attitude regarding car ownership as well as to the growth in the renting and subscription economy," Vincent Gillet, VP of Marketing, said. "We are confident that it will tackle the needs of customers who, for instance, live in a city and don't need a vehicle during the week, or families that own a car but need a second car during the weekend."

After signing up for free, My Hertz Weekend subscribers benefit from the use of a small, medium, large or premium Hertz vehicle every weekend for a month or longer — with no long-term commitment required. Customers do not need to book their pick up each time; their car will be ready for collection every weekend of the month/s subscribed.

Subscribers pick-up and drop-off their cars at a "base" of their choice from a list of 50 participating locations in Barcelona, Bologna, London, Madrid, Milan, Oxford, Rome, Turin, Cologne, Lyon, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester, at flexible times. My Hertz Weekend vehicles can be collected as early as 2 p.m. on Thursday and be returned to the same location any time before noon on Monday.

The service includes unlimited mileage and a free additional driver, with fixed rates starting from €195 ($214) per month in Italy and Germany, making My Hertz Weekend more cost effective than other forms of vehicle subscription, such as car sharing or leasing.  

In order to subscribe to My Hertz Weekend, renters must be members of Hertz's complementary loyalty program, Gold Plus Rewards. The program allows members to earn rewards, enjoy special discounts, and bypass counters at more than 50 of the world's busiest airports.