Enterprise Rent-A-Car has bought parts of low cost rental company 1car1’s business from the administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers, but is remaining tight-lipped over its plans for the company.

The deal will see Enterprise take over the 1car1 brand, but it is not buying the 87-strong branch network, the head office functions, any of 1car1’s 15,000 vehicles, nor is it taking on any of the staff.

Included in the purchase are the website www.1car1.com and its associated web links, the telephone reservation lines and the trademark of parent company Local Contract Hire and Leasing.

Spencer King, corporate communications manager – Europe, at Enterprise, said: “The whole process happened so quickly. We saw 1car1 as a valued brand which was worth us acquiring.

"Now we have got it, we are working out what we shall do with it.”

Joint administrator Steve Ellis, from PricewaterhouseCoopers, said: “The sale to Enterprise was identified as the best option to maximise value recovery to creditors from the investment in the 1car1 brand.

“The branch network and underlying business has not been profitable and the rapid deterioration in funding available did not allow restructuring.”

1car1 went into administration in March after encountering difficulties securing loans for a fleet renewal programme.

At the time of going into administration, 1car1 had 600 staff and 15,000 vehicles on its books.