Thrifty Car Rental UK has put around 200 ex-rental Renaults, BMWs, Toyotas and Fords on its website - www.thrifty.co.uk - as it aims to raise its online presence.

The vehicles, typically 6-12 months old, are expected to attract retail and trade buyers, who can search by model or price range. Dealers can access the site with a designated password in order to purchase at trade prices.

Andrew Burton, sales and marketing director, said the new online service would help Thrifty to reach new customers, meeting their needs more effectively by dealing direct.

“Adding the ex-rental sales to the website is an exciting new development which will complement our existing ex-rental sales and allow our customers to have access to a wider range of vehicles,” he said.

Around 200 vehicles will initially be put on the site, which is expected to expand rapidly as the Thrifty fleet grows.