A 45 S

Sardinia's most entertaining roads are not its widest: they are the narrow ribbons linking San Pantaleo to Arzachena, the folds climbing into inland Gallura between granite outcrops and cork oaks, the sudden descents to the beaches of the east coast. On this stage, a two-metre-wide supercar demands caution at every junction; the A 45 S — compact and ferociously agile — demands only that you keep driving.

Then there is the practical side, worth its weight in gold on holiday: parking in hilltop villages without endless manoeuvres, alleyways taken without holding your breath, a footprint that never makes you skip a detour. Guests staying on the east coast can take delivery at their accommodation: luxury car rental in San Teodoro is one of the 27 destinations we serve across the island, alongside 3 airports.

At its debut, the A 45 S's 2.0-litre turbo was the most powerful series-production four-cylinder in the world, and one full-throttle run explains why that record mattered: 421 hp climbing through the revs with race-engine fury, punctuated by the sharp cracks of the 8-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT dual-clutch gearbox. Lift off and the exhaust pops and mutters — a soundtrack more impudent than baritone, perfectly in character.

The masterstroke is the rear axle: a torque splitter between the two rear wheels rotates the car out of corners like a rear-wheel drive in miniature, and you feel it working through every hairpin. The 3.9-second 0–100 km/h sprint is the calling card, but the real magic lives in the tight stuff: lightning-quick steering, a flat stance, a precision that makes any sequence of Gallura corners feel simple.

Within the LSM Car Luxury fleet the A 45 S plays a precise role: it is the most wieldy of the Mercedes-AMG cars available to rent in both size and everyday ease, yet it is anything but a ceremonial AMG. Pound for pound it is one of the fiercest machines in the entire range, and for many guests it marks their first contact with Affalterbach — it is rarely their last.

Before putting it in the diary, it is worth reading our guide to the requirements for renting a luxury car in Italy; in any case, specific requirements and conditions are provided at the quotation stage. Then comes the best part: choose your dates, name your delivery point — from a Costa Smeralda villa to the port of Olbia — and check availability with our WhatsApp concierge.