BOSTON, Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Zipcar, Inc., the world's leading car sharing network, today announced the expansion of Zipcar Detroit, bringing the total number of Zipcars in the city up to 40. With the expansion, Detroit becomes Zipcar's 25th major metropolitan market.

"Bringing car sharing to a city made by cars and built for cars is a huge accomplishment for Zipcar," said Zipcar President Mark Norman. "We are thrilled to be able to offer another mode of simple and convenient transportation to residents, students and businesses in Detroit as Zipcar expands our presence into our milestone 25th major metro market."

Zipcar will offer a variety of vehicles in Detroit, including a Ford Escape named "Martius", useful cars such as the Ford Focus "Motor City", and fun choices like a Ford Mustang named "Belle Isle" as well as a number of other unique offerings.

A majority of the Zipcar Detroit fleet will consist of vehicles from the Ford Motor Company, building upon Zipcar's long standing relationship with Ford. In 2011 Ford Motor Company became Zipcar's largest university vehicle partner. In addition, Ford and Zipcar work together to provide deserving student organizations at eligible Zipcar colleges and universities with monthly and grand prizes to support their activities on campus and in their local communities through the "Students with Drive" program.

"We're proud to stand alongside Zipcar as a valued partner, as they expand operations to Detroit," said Amy Marentic, group marketing manager, global cars and crossovers at Ford. "This is a city brimming with possibilities, and we're thrilled that our vehicles will be a symbol of growth and opportunity."

The 40 Zipcars will be located across the city including public and private lots and garages in neighborhoods such as Downtown, Midtown, New Center, Woodbridge, Rivertown and Hamtramck. Zipcars are also available across campus at Wayne State University and the College for Creative Studies. Detroit residents may have seen the Zipcar team across the city this past weekend participating in the Detroit Design Festival which was developed and executed with the support of the Detroit Creative Corridor Center.

Employees of local businesses in Detroit will benefit from Zipcar's presence through the Zipcar for Business program that offers discounted driving rates Monday through Friday. This program helps businesses save money, meet environmental sustainability goals and reduce parking requirements by providing their employees with access to Zipcars for business needs and other uses.

Zipcar's simple hourly and daily rates include gas, reserved parking spots, insurance, roadside assistance and up to 180 miles of driving per day. Zipcars can be reserved for as short as an hour or for multiple days, giving members a flexible and reliable option for transportation. Rates start as low as $9 per hour and $75 per day (24 hours). Information on membership and an application are available at the website at www.zipcar.com/detroit.

About Zipcar

Zipcar, the world's leading car sharing network, has operations in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and Austria. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for smart, simple and convenient solutions to their urban and campus transportation needs. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR), a leading global provider of vehicle rental services. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 177,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit corporate.ford.com.

SOURCE Zipcar

For further information: Jennifer Mathews, 617-336-4605, [email protected]