I think having an excuse to rent a car is fun, and what makes it even funner (yeah, I know that's not really a word!) is to get a really nice car that's comfortable and fun to drive. Now for some people a Mustang convertible might be the height of car-renting luxury, but for others names like Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Bentley are what really sound good. Car clubs and car rental agencies that specialize in high-end luxury automobiles have seen major growth over recent years, resulting in more opportunities for those car lovers who, for whatever reason, just aren't looking to commit to a purchase.

And who doesn't want to be that person spotted in a new luxe car?

Another story from my current home away from home Boca Raton, Florida. The Boca News reports the latest car club, Collexium, based in Fort Lauderdale has been created by Boca Raton resident Blas Moros. Mora, a former Microsoft exec, founded the club after he was in the market for a luxury car and found himself besieged with options. Collexium, opened in December 2006, has ten cars including an Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, Bentley Continental Flying Spur, Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo and Lotus Elise available at the Fort Lauderdale clubhouse. The clubhouse includes a lounge and a business center and serves as a showroom and setting for events.

I've seen car clubs in New England but not one in Boston. The Otto Club offers Bostonians the chance to get in on the exotic car action. The Otto Club is named after Nicolaus Otto who built the first practical four-stroke internal combustion engine in 1876. The club was founded in 2005 by John Caron, a former tech exec with a love of European exotic cars. The club offers cars such as the Ferrari 360, Aston Martin DB9 and the Maserati Quattroporte. The club has Black and Red membership levels. Black costs $28,000 per year and offers 30,000 points which entitles you to around 40-60 driving days and a mix of cars, weekends and weekdays. The Red membership is $15,000 for 15,000 points and 20-30 driving days. Membership includes your spouse plus one additional driver. The Helium Report interviewed John Caron last fall and found that the company is planning it open a clubhouse sometime this spring and that Caron's favorite car of all time is a Mazda RX-7 Turbo II.

Other clubs and services we have covered include:
Premier Auto Club
Classic Car Club Manhattan
LuxShare Auto Club
Capital Dream Cars
DFW Elite Auto Rental
Gotham Dream Cars
Atlanta Driving Club
Club Ferdinand
Oversteer Fractional Car Ownership
Club Sportiva
Pure Exotics Dream Automobile Rentals
Luxury Rent A Car