Consolidating Condensed Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Condensed consolidating statement of income
Revenues	$ 3,824,143	$ 3,336,020	$ 10,927,917	$ 9,814,784
Cost of sales	3,244,235	2,834,536	9,244,779	8,313,365
Gross profit	579,908	501,484	1,683,138	1,501,419
Selling, general and administrative expenses	454,188	400,039	1,308,958	1,188,658
Depreciation	15,784	13,704	45,300	40,014
Operating Income (Loss)	109,936	87,741	328,880	272,747
Floor plan interest expense	(10,840)	(9,951)	(32,008)	(29,319)
Other interest expense	(12,370)	(11,583)	(36,163)	(35,155)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	11,240	8,814	22,489	21,392
Debt redemption costs		(17,753)		(17,753)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	97,966	57,268	283,198	211,912
Income taxes	(31,692)	(15,421)	(95,263)	(69,347)
Income from continuing operations	66,274	41,847	187,935	142,565
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(742)	(534)	(1,889)	(4,634)
Net income (loss)	65,532	41,313	186,046	137,931
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes	38,449	17,948	4,313	17,758
Comprehensive Income	103,981	59,261	190,359	155,689
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to the non-controlling interests	257	489	1,599	1,197
Comprehensive income attributable to Penske Automotive Group common stockholders	103,724	58,772	188,760	154,492
Reportable legal entities | Penske Automotive Group
Condensed consolidating statement of income
Selling, general and administrative expenses	5,475	5,073	15,328	14,408
Depreciation	417	328	1,206	936
Operating Income (Loss)	(5,892)	(5,401)	(16,534)	(15,344)
Floor plan interest expense	(2,428)	(2,322)	(7,174)	(6,774)
Other interest expense	(7,159)	(7,695)	(20,555)	(21,986)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	10,035	7,784	18,865	18,538
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	103,153	82,373	307,531	254,241
Debt redemption costs		(17,753)		(17,753)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	97,709	56,986	282,133	210,922
Income taxes	(31,692)	(15,421)	(95,263)	(69,347)
Income from continuing operations	66,017	41,565	186,870	141,575
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(742)	(534)	(1,889)	(4,634)
Net income (loss)	65,275	41,031	184,981	136,941
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes	38,449	17,948	4,313	17,758
Comprehensive Income	103,724	58,979	189,294	154,699
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to the non-controlling interests		207	534	207
Comprehensive income attributable to Penske Automotive Group common stockholders	103,724	58,772	188,760	154,492
Reportable legal entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed consolidating statement of income
Revenues	2,296,224	1,997,423	6,616,079	5,821,934
Cost of sales	1,933,197	1,687,417	5,545,896	4,897,098
Gross profit	363,027	310,006	1,070,183	924,836
Selling, general and administrative expenses	280,222	244,259	820,249	728,842
Depreciation	9,538	7,580	26,743	22,018
Operating Income (Loss)	73,267	58,167	223,191	173,976
Floor plan interest expense	(4,951)	(4,300)	(15,044)	(12,247)
Other interest expense	(1,951)	(804)	(4,214)	(2,668)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	66,365	53,063	203,933	159,061
Income taxes	(24,116)	(14,733)	(77,745)	(59,519)
Income from continuing operations	42,249	38,330	126,188	99,542
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(151)	219	(184)	(1,830)
Net income (loss)	42,098	38,549	126,004	97,712
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes	824	175	2,997	(74)
Comprehensive Income	42,922	38,724	129,001	97,638
Comprehensive income attributable to Penske Automotive Group common stockholders	42,922	38,724	129,001	97,638
Reportable legal entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed consolidating statement of income
Revenues	1,527,919	1,338,597	4,311,838	3,992,850
Cost of sales	1,311,038	1,147,119	3,698,883	3,416,267
Gross profit	216,881	191,478	612,955	576,583
Selling, general and administrative expenses	168,491	150,707	473,381	445,408
Depreciation	5,829	5,796	17,351	17,060
Operating Income (Loss)	42,561	34,975	122,223	114,115
Floor plan interest expense	(3,461)	(3,329)	(9,790)	(10,298)
Other interest expense	(3,260)	(3,084)	(11,394)	(10,501)
Equity in earnings of affiliates	1,205	1,030	3,624	2,854
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	37,045	29,592	104,663	96,170
Income taxes	(9,342)	(7,559)	(26,094)	(24,084)
Income from continuing operations	27,703	22,033	78,569	72,086
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(591)	(753)	(1,705)	(2,804)
Net income (loss)	27,112	21,280	76,864	69,282
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes	37,798	16,707	1,519	15,224
Comprehensive Income	64,910	37,987	78,383	84,506
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to the non-controlling interests	257	489	1,599	1,197
Comprehensive income attributable to Penske Automotive Group common stockholders	64,653	37,498	76,784	83,309
Eliminations
Condensed consolidating statement of income
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(103,153)	(82,373)	(307,531)	(254,241)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	(103,153)	(82,373)	(307,531)	(254,241)
Income taxes	33,458	22,292	103,839	83,603
Income from continuing operations	(69,695)	(60,081)	(203,692)	(170,638)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	742	534	1,889	4,634
Net income (loss)	(68,953)	(59,547)	(201,803)	(166,004)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Taxes	(38,622)	(16,882)	(4,516)	(15,150)
Comprehensive Income	(107,575)	(76,429)	(206,319)	(181,154)
Less: Comprehensive income attributable to the non-controlling interests		(207)	(534)	(207)
Comprehensive income attributable to Penske Automotive Group common stockholders	$ (107,575)	$ (76,222)	$ (205,785)	$ (180,947)