NEWS RELEASE 950 Echo Lane, Suite 100 Houston, TX 77024

AT GROUP 1:	President and CEO	Earl J. Hesterberg	(713) 647-5700
	Senior Vice President and CFO	John C. Rickel	(713) 647-5700
	Manager, Investor Relations	Kim Paper Canning	(713) 647-5700
AT Fleishman-Hillard:	Investors	John O. Ambler	(713) 513-9513
AT Pierpont Communications:	Media	Clint L. Woods	(713) 627-2223

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 2007

GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE SCHEDULES 2007 FIRST-QUARTER
EARNINGS RELEASE AND CONFERENCE CALL

HOUSTON, April 19, 2007 — Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), a Fortune 500 automotive retailer, today announced that it will release financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2007, on Thursday, April 26, before market open. Earl J. Hesterberg, Group 1’s president and chief executive officer, and the company’s senior management team will host a conference call to discuss the results later that morning at 10 a.m. EDT.

The conference call will be simulcast live on the Internet at www.group1auto.com through the Investor Relations section. A replay will be available for 30 days.

The conference call will also be available live by dialing in 10 minutes prior to the call at: 866-249-6463 (domestic) or 303-262-2211 (international).

A telephonic replay will be available following the call through May 3, by dialing: 800-405-2236 (domestic) or 303-590-3000 (international), with passcode: 11088203#.

About Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
Group 1 owns and operates 104 automotive dealerships, 143 franchises, and 28 collision service centers in the United States and three dealerships, six franchises and two collision centers in the United Kingdom that offer 33 brands of automobiles. Through its dealerships, the company sells new and used cars and light trucks; arranges related financing, vehicle service and insurance contracts; provides maintenance and repair services; and sells replacement parts.

Group 1 Automotive can be reached on the Internet at www.group1auto.com.