The Most Expensive Cars to Rent in Southern California

Flagship hybrids and V12s are the most expensive cars to rent in Southern California. The four below list at $2,995 to $3,495 a day. The Lamborghini Revuelto is the top of that range at $3,495. The other three are a Rolls Royce Phantom, a Ferrari SF90 Stradale, and a Lamborghini Temerario, and each one rents for $2,995 a day.

Most people assume the highest price buys the most speed. That only holds for one of these four cars. The Phantom costs the same as the SF90 and takes 5.1 seconds to reach 60 mph. The SF90 gets there in 2.5 seconds.

Picture the Revuelto parked in front of a boutique on Rodeo Drive. The scissor doors swing up, and the black and red cabin shows. People walking past take out their phones before you stand up. Most renters book a car at this price for that moment.

The four flagships and what each one costs

Each rate below comes from that car's own listing. Every car includes 100 miles a day.

• Lamborghini Revuelto, black over black and red, $3,495 a day, $5,000 deposit, $10 a mile past the allowance
• Ferrari SF90 Stradale, red over red, $2,995 a day, $5,000 deposit, $10 a mile past the allowance
• Rolls Royce Phantom, white over orange and white, $2,995 a day, $3,000 deposit, $10 a mile past the allowance
• Lamborghini Temerario, black over black, $2,995 a day, $3,000 deposit, $10 a mile past the allowance

Three of the rates match, but the cars behind them do not. Two are hybrid supercars with all-wheel drive, and one is a hybrid V12 flagship. The last one is a five-seat sedan built around its back seat.

What $3,495 a day buys in a Lamborghini Revuelto

The Revuelto is Lamborghini's hybrid V12 flagship, and it replaced the Aventador. A 6.5 liter V12 works with three electric motors to make 1,001 horsepower. It reaches 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, and its top speed is 217 mph.

The part most renters don't expect is the silence. In Citta mode, the car runs on its front electric motors alone, so you can leave a hotel driveway in Beverly Hills without a sound. Switch to Strada once you're clear, and the V12 starts on its own behind your head. It revs to 9,500 rpm.

The Revuelto has no mechanical reverse gear, so the front motors back it out of a parking space. The front trunk fits two cabin bags once the charging cables come out, and a golf bag fits behind the passenger seat.

This car's listing puts its MSRP, the price when new, at $608,358. That number comes up again in the insurance section below. Plan to rent a Revuelto three to four weeks ahead. A Saturday or an event date can be taken sooner than that.

Three cars at $2,995 a day that share nothing else

The Rolls Royce Phantom is the flagship Rolls Royce sedan. It is 5.76 meters long and seats five. A 6.75 liter twin-turbo V12 makes 563 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. A glass panel called the Gallery runs the full width of the dashboard.

The rear coach doors hinge at the back and close themselves at the touch of a button. Pull up to a restaurant in Newport Beach, and your passenger steps out facing forward. The car's length takes care at a tight valet stand. Chauffeur service is available on request. When you rent a Phantom, you pay for the back seat more than the drive.

The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is Ferrari's plug-in hybrid flagship. A 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 and three electric motors make 986 horsepower. All four wheels drive the car, and it reaches 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. On electric power alone, it can drive up to about 84 mph in near silence.

The SF90 has no rev counter on the dash, and a curved screen sits behind the wheel instead. Take it up Mulholland Drive early on a Sunday. Leave in silence, then let the V8 join in once the houses are behind you. Book the SF90 four to six weeks out if you can.

The Lamborghini Temerario replaced the Huracan. Its 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 works with three electric motors for 907 horsepower. The engine revs to 10,000 rpm. The Temerario has conventional doors instead of scissor doors, and it fits a driver well over six feet tall.

Below 4,000 rpm, the engine sounds mechanical and calm. Past that point, it keeps pulling hard all the way to the redline. The listing points this car at Angeles Crest Highway, not a valet stand. The front trunk holds 112 liters, and that is enough for two soft bags.

Deposits and miles on the most expensive cars to rent

The deposit is a hold on your card, not a charge. The hold is released after the car comes back in the condition it left. The Revuelto and the SF90 each hold $5,000, and the Phantom and the Temerario each hold $3,000.

The hold covers small things, like a curbed wheel. Real damage goes to your own insurance, subject to your deductible. The Revuelto's wheels sit close to the curb at a valet stand in Beverly Hills. Ease the car in slowly and let the attendant guide you.

Every day includes 100 miles, and a longer rental pools them. A two-day rental gives you 200 miles to use however you like. All four cars bill $10 a mile past the pool, so every 10 extra miles adds $100 to the bill.

Check the trip meter before you head up the coast toward Malibu. If you know the trip runs long, say so when you book. The miles get priced in ahead of time instead of billed after. Track use, racing, and off-road driving are not permitted on any car.

What a weekend or a week costs at this level

The daily rate drops on its own once you pass two days, because the discount comes from the length of the rental, not from asking. Here is the ladder.

• 1 to 2 days, full daily rate
• 3 to 4 days, 10% off
• 5 to 6 days, 15% off
• 7 to 13 days, 20% off
• 14 to 20 days, 30% off
• 21 to 27 days, 40% off
• 28 days or more, 50% off

A two-day weekend in the Revuelto costs $6,990 before delivery. The same weekend in any of the $2,995 cars costs $5,990. Three days in the Revuelto come to $9,436.50 after the 10% discount. A full week costs $19,572 in the Revuelto and $16,772 in the other three. That week means seven mornings of the V12 starting up in a hotel garage.

Delivery is added on top and quoted by your address. A longer booking also changes how the car feels to you. On the first night, the scissor doors draw a crowd at every stop. By day three in Laguna Beach, you open them without thinking about it.

What your insurance has to cover on a $608,358 car

Insurance is not included in the price, and we don't sell it. Your own auto policy has to extend comprehensive and collision coverage to a rental car that isn't on it. That coverage is called non-owner vehicle coverage. It means your policy covers a car that isn't listed on your declarations page.

The policy can't carry an exotic or high-value exclusion, and it can't carry a cap that rules the car out. Before every rental, we call your carrier with an agent on a recorded line. We confirm the policy is active and extends to a rental car. The call happens before the car leaves for your address, so nothing holds up the handoff at your door.

A credit card's rental benefit almost never helps here. Most cards exclude cars worth more than $50k to $75k. The Temerario has the lowest MSRP of these four cars, at $384,000. The SF90's listing puts its MSRP at $528,764.

Beyond insurance, the list is short, and you need to be 18 or older with a valid driver's license. A larger deposit may apply under 25. Once your carrier confirms, the Revuelto can be waiting at the curb at LAX when you land.

Which flagship fits the day you have planned

At $2,995 a day, the choice comes down to who sits where. Rent the Phantom when the back seat is the point. Rent the SF90 for the standing start, and the Temerario for a long climb out of the city. Pay the extra $500 for the Revuelto when you want the silent exit and the V12 on the same day.