ONE of the largest daily rental groups in the world has been created by the acquisition of National Car Rental by Republic Industries, which bought Alamo Rent-A-Car last year. National Car Rental has a fleet of around 100,000 vehicles run from 800 locations in the US and Canada; and this combines with Alamo's US fleet of 130,000 vehicles. Both companies will maintain their identities.

Republic will pay $600 million and assume $1.7 billion of debt for National Car Rental, following on from its $625 million acquisition of Alamo. In Europe, National Car Rental has a long standing marketing relationship with Europcar Interrent, and a spokesman for the US company said that was not going to change.