The Sixt story

1912: Martin Sixt founds the "Sixt Autofahrten und Selbstfahrer" company. He starts with seven cars, four Mercedes and three Luxus-Deutz-Landaulets. Sixt owns one of the first rent-a-car companies in Germany, specializing in day-trips and custom tours. His clients are almost exclusively members of the British nobility and dollar-rich Americans.
1914: Vehicles and drivers are placed under the High Command of the Army and confiscated.
1919: Martin Sixt buys the Munich location in Seitzstrasse no. 11. Today one can still find there one of the most-visited Sixt city-stations.
1927: Martin Sixt hands over the company to his nephew Hans Sixt. An 8-cylinder Isotta-Frascini and the big 6-cylinder Renault join the fleet. Because of problems with the spare parts for foreign cars, as of 1929 Sixt will use only Mercedes cars.
1938: The economic boycott against Germany leaves deep marks on the travel and rent-a-car business, and Sixt is affected by a severe drop in revenues.
1939: The German Wehrmacht confiscates all of Sixt's rental vehicles. Only a seven-seat Mercedes 230 Landaulet hidden in a barn will make it through the war.
1945: Martin Sixt dies in May 1945, aggrieved by the bombing and destruction of his life achievement, the living and business quarters.
1946: Relaunch of the business after the second world war with the Mercedes 230 Landaulet as a chauffeured limousine. Setting up of the Export-Taxi fleet for members of the US Army.
1948: First in Europe, Hans Sixt employs radio taxis in Munich. The gear is imported from the US.
1951: Establishment of the "Auto Sixt" Rent a Car.
1966: The first airport offices in Frankfurt am Main and Munich are opened.
1967: "Auto Sixt" is the first German company to launch a leasing program for vehicles.
1969: Erich Sixt, now Sixt AG Chairman of the Board, is the third generation offspring to step into the family business.
1970: Trucks are added to the Sixt fleet.
1977: Sixt opens stations in all major airports in Germany. License agreement with Budget Rent a Car.
1979: License takeover in Germany of Carey-Limousine-Service, the world-wide leading chauffeured limousine service. Sixt becomes thus linked by a five continent, 50 country and 400 city spanning booking network.
1980: Establishment of "Auto Leasing GmbH" (ASL) together with the Disko-Group, Düsseldorf.
1982: Name change from "Auto Sixt" to "Sixt Autovermietung GmbH". The logo: "Sixt/Budget".
1986: Establishment and stock-market launch of "Sixt Aktiengesellschaft".
1988: Establishment of "Sixt Leasing GmbH".
1990: "Sixt Autovermietung Schweitz" takes up business.
1992: Opening of Sixt offices at ICE railway stations.
1993: New structure of the Sixt Group with Sixt AG as a holding. Branching out of the rent-a-car business as "Sixt GmbH & Co Autovermietung KG".
1994: Europe-wide cooperation with "Deutsche Lufthansa AG". Sixt becomes a partner of the Lufthansa Miles&More program. Launching of the CarExpress Service. Sixt becomes the leading German rent-a-car company.
1995: Cooperation with German Railways. Sixt is the first German rent-a-car company on the Internet.
1996: "Sixt Leasing GmbH" turns into "Sixt Leasing AG". First in the world: Sixt SelfService Center. CarExpress OnBoard together with Lufthansa. First Austrian Sixt station at Vienna airport.
1997: "Sixt Travel GmbH" is launched. Sixt signs a cooperation agreement with the German motor club ADAC. Majority participation in the "MOHAG Motorwagen-Handelsgesellschaft". Sixt sets up a Call Center in Rostock with 150 employees. Sixt opens 130 stations in France, among others at the airports in Paris, Nice, Lyon and Bordeaux. Sixt starts operating in Great Britain with a presence at all major airports. Sixt becomes a partner of the British Airways Executive Club, Deutsche BA and South African Airways.
1998: Sixt opens offices at all major airports in Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Malta, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Tunisia, Morocco, Martinique, Guadeloupe, La Reunion and New Zealand. Sixt holds now 1000 plus stations in Europe. Booking Center in Washington (USA). Business offices in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Toronto, and Australia. Sixt takes over "Sixt Travel GmbH" completely. Cooperation agreements with strategically important airlines like United Airlines/Mileage Plus, exclusive partner of Air Littoral and Lauda Air, partner of the Air France "Fréquence Plus" and the KLM "Flying Dutchman" mileage program, as well as marketing partner of El Al and partner of the Frequent Traveller Clubs. Sixt becomes a partner of the Qualiflyer program. Sixt becomes an exclusive partner of Hilton Hotels Europe and Preferred Partner of Hilton HHonors world-wide.
2000: Sixt opens the e-commerce platform for cars and travel and founds e-Sixt AG.
2003: Sixt launches the low-cost SIXTI brand and successfully enters the European low-budget rental business segment. Sixt also launches Holiday Cars, an all-inclusive offer of holiday rental cars which can be booked at numerous points of sale worldwide.
2005: Sixt expands its franchising network to Asia and Latin America (including India, Saudi-Arabia, Thailand, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic).
2006: Sixt launches its own network of stations in the Spanish market. At the start of the year, two rental stations open in Mallorca. Barcelona, Malaga and Marbella follow.
2007: Sixt launches services in China. 2007 new record revenue and earning figures.