Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash from continuing operating activities	$ 122,617	$ 198,440	$ 302,334
Investing activities:
Purchase of equipment and improvements	(133,115)	(75,699)	(89,203)
Proceeds from sale-leaseback transactions			2,338
Dealership acquisitions net, including repayment of sellers' floor plan notes payable of $54,453, $9,883 and $2,884, respectively	(232,106)	(22,232)	(8,517)
Other	2,865	13,822	17,994
Net cash used in continuing investing activities	(362,356)	(84,109)	(77,388)
Financing activities:
Repayments under U.S. credit agreement term loan	(7,000)	(15,000)	(60,000)
Repurchase of 3.5% senior subordinated convertible notes	(87,278)	(156,604)	(51,424)
Proceeds From Repayments Of Other Long Term Debt And Long Term Lines Of Credit	158,395	(15,402)	(17,402)
Net (repayments) borrowings of floor plan notes payable non-trade	216,561	80,151	(82,799)
Proceeds from exercises of options, including excess tax benefit	3,370	540	349
Repurchases of common stock	(44,263)	(751)
Dividends	(21,992)
Net cash from (used in) continuing financing activities	217,793	(107,066)	(211,276)
Net cash from discontinued operations	31,374	(5,796)	(11,266)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	9,428	1,469	2,404
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	19,688	18,219	15,815
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	29,116	19,688	18,219
Penske Automotive Group [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash from continuing operating activities	(39,449)	133,059	42,525
Investing activities:
Purchase of equipment and improvements	(1,280)	(66)	(240)
Other		13,822	11,485
Net cash used in continuing investing activities	(1,280)	13,756	11,245
Financing activities:
Repayments under U.S. credit agreement term loan	(7,000)	(15,000)	(60,000)
Repurchase of 3.5% senior subordinated convertible notes	(87,278)	(156,604)	(51,424)
Proceeds From Repayments Of Other Long Term Debt And Long Term Lines Of Credit	132,000		57,305
Net (repayments) borrowings of floor plan notes payable non-trade	65,892	25,000
Proceeds from exercises of options, including excess tax benefit	3,370	540	349
Repurchases of common stock	(44,263)	(751)
Dividends	(21,992)
Net cash from (used in) continuing financing activities	20,729	(146,815)	(53,770)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash from continuing operating activities	188,463	40,532	85,374
Investing activities:
Purchase of equipment and improvements	(81,482)	(51,261)	(65,310)
Proceeds from sale-leaseback transactions			2,338
Dealership acquisitions net, including repayment of sellers' floor plan notes payable of $54,453, $9,883 and $2,884, respectively	(230,426)	(22,232)	(597)
Other			(206)
Net cash used in continuing investing activities	(311,908)	(73,493)	(63,775)
Financing activities:
Proceeds From Repayments Of Other Long Term Debt And Long Term Lines Of Credit	54,494	(13,613)	(126)
Net (repayments) borrowings of floor plan notes payable non-trade	44,821	51,384	(11,608)
Distributions from (to) parent	6,139	1,365	317
Net cash from (used in) continuing financing activities	105,454	39,136	(11,417)
Net cash from discontinued operations	29,815	(3,283)	(12,534)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	11,824	2,892	(2,352)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	15,211	12,319	14,671
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	27,035	15,211	12,319
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATING STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
Net cash from continuing operating activities	(26,397)	24,849	174,435
Investing activities:
Purchase of equipment and improvements	(50,353)	(24,372)	(23,653)
Dealership acquisitions net, including repayment of sellers' floor plan notes payable of $54,453, $9,883 and $2,884, respectively	(1,680)		(7,920)
Other	2,865		6,715
Net cash used in continuing investing activities	(49,168)	(24,372)	(24,858)
Financing activities:
Proceeds From Repayments Of Other Long Term Debt And Long Term Lines Of Credit	(28,099)	(1,789)	(74,581)
Net (repayments) borrowings of floor plan notes payable non-trade	105,848	3,767	(71,191)
Distributions from (to) parent	(6,139)	(1,365)	(317)
Net cash from (used in) continuing financing activities	71,610	613	(146,089)
Net cash from discontinued operations	1,559	(2,513)	1,268
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(2,396)	(1,423)	4,756
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	4,477	5,900	1,144
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 2,081	$ 4,477	$ 5,900