ROANOKE TIMES 
                      Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times

DATE: Wednesday, January 15, 1997            TAG: 9701150107
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: B-5  EDITION: METRO 
DATELINE: DETROIT

FORD TO SELL BUDGET RENT A CAR

For Ford Motor Co., the time seemed right to sell rather than keep renting.

Ford on Tuesday said it would sell its interest in Budget Rent a Car, the No. 4 chain in the country, to a leading franchisee, Team Rental, for $350 million.

Ford has been considering selling Hertz, the world's biggest rental car company. Since July, deals have been announced to sell the other three top chains - Avis, Alamo and National.

Team Rental owns and operates in 155 Budget rental outlets. It also leases vans for commuter pooling in 22 states and sells used cars. Its stock has risen more than 40 percent since the first of the year and closed at $23, down 50 cents Tuesday. Ford, which rose 50 cents Tuesday to $33.75, has risen more than 6 percent in the past two weeks.

-Associated Press

LENGTH: Short :   28 lines