EUROPEAN daily rental giant Europcar has bought British Car & Van Rental for an undisclosed sum, creating the fourth largest car rental operation in the UK, behind National Car Rental, Avis Rent A Car, and United Kenning Rental Group. The new company's combined peak season fleet will total 22,000 vehicles, run from 185 locations, and account for an annual turnover in excess of £100 million.

Terry King-Smith, chief executive of BCR, has become joint executive chairman of the new company alongside John Du Monceau, chief executive officer of Europcar International. Roland Moens remains managing director of Europcar UK. The two companies display co-branding in the short to medium term at least, with Europcar's 105 UK locations featuring BCR branding, and BCR's 80 branches featuring Europcar branding.