---
title: "Audi Gets into the Rental Car Business, and It Looks Pretty Darn Cool"
description: "Vehicles can be rented by the hour and be equipped with lifestyle add-ons like bike racks and cargo boxes."
date: "2018-02-21"
modified: "2018-02-22"
authors:
  - name: "Jerry Perez"
    job_title: "Deputy Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/18273/audi-gets-into-the-rental-car-business-and-it-looks-pretty-darn-cool"
categories:
  - "News"
tags:
  - "Audi"
  - "Audi R8"
  - "car rental"
  - "luxury"
  - "News"
  - "Travel"
---

# Audi Gets into the Rental Car Business, and It Looks Pretty Darn Cool

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/02/objktv_hr_bax1799.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Have you ever been on vacation and suddenly needed to have access to an [all-wheel-drive SUV](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/10467/2018-audi-sq5-first-drive-review-7-things-to-know>) with a surfboard rack, or maybe a [supercar](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/11431/2017-audi-r8-spyder-review-audi-weaves-a-stylish-web>) for a night out on the town? If so, you're the kind of person Audi is targeting with its new on-demand vehicle rental service. Audi on Demand gives travelers access to a variety of customized vehicles that can be rented by the general public (not just Audi owners) for 24 hours or for up to 28 days.

The only North American city currently offering Audi on Demand is San Francisco, California, but Munich, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Singapore are also on the list, with more coming soon according to Audi. The new service sure sounds similar to what high-end rental car companies have been offering for years, but the difference is that the vehicles will come [directly from the manufacturer](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/13405/audi-will-let-you-drive-an-r8-v10-plus-at-circuit-of-the-americas>), and not a privately owned fleet. In addition, Audi on Demand pricing is all-inclusive, with insurance, gasoline, delivery, and pickup fees included in the rental price. And let's not forget that German car companies have a thing for perfection, so chances are the vehicles will be in better-than-average shape and spotless upon arrival.

![message-editor%2F1519235707440-objktv\_hr\_jet4383.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1519235707440-objktv_hr_jet4383.jpg>)
*Audi*

![message-editor%2F1519235722650-objktv\_hr\_jet0225.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1519235722650-objktv_hr_jet0225.jpg>)
*Audi*

![message-editor%2F1519235727119-objktv\_hr\_bax9048.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1519235727119-objktv_hr_bax9048.jpg>)
*Audi*

![message-editor%2F1519235731279-objktv\_hr\_bax0442.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1519235731279-objktv_hr_bax0442.jpg>)
*Audi*

Customers wanting to try out the service must download the Audi on Demand app, choose a vehicle, set the delivery address and time (in as little as two hours or up to 6 months in advance) and Audi will deliver the vehicle and pick it up as designated, within the city of [San Francisco](<https://www.thedrive.com/tech/17679/waymos-autonomous-chrysler-pacificas-hit-the-streets-of-san-francisco>). Audi did not comment on whether drivers will have to meet certain criteria regarding driving record of financial backing, especially for the sportier, more expensive models.

"Mobility programs like Audi on Demand give drivers options and allow them to customize their driving experience to their needs, such as short-term vehicle, or adding a ski rack for snow travel or a surfboard rack for a drive down the coast," an Audi spokesperson told *The Drive*.

You're probably thinking, "How much will this set me back?" An [Audi A4](<https://thestore.thedrive.com/>) hovers around $145 per day, while an R8 V10 Spyder will set you back $1,145. Lifestyle accessories such as racks and cargo boxes are complimentary. While that's certainly more than the average Chevy Malibu you can rent from Hertz, it's not that expensive considering most premium vehicles through mainstream rental companies can easily surpass the $100 per-day mark, and collision coverage cost another $25 to $45 per day.

## Author
Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/drive_jerry/>)