8-K

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): December 17, 2007

Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
__________________________________________
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	1-13461	76-0506313
_____________________ (State or other jurisdiction	_____________ (Commission	______________ (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)	File Number)	Identification No.)
950 Echo Lane, Suite 100, Houston, Texas		77024
_________________________________ (Address of principal executive offices)		___________ (Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 713-647-5700

Not Applicable
______________________________________________
Former name or former address, if changed since last report

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[  ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[  ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[  ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.

On December 17, 2007, Group 1 Automotive, Inc. announced it had expanded its Eastern Region operations with the acquisition of a Mercedes-Benz franchise in Georgia and BMW and Volkswagen franchises in South Carolina. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated in this Item 7.01 by reference.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

99.1 Press release of Group 1 Automotive, Inc., dated as of December 17, 2007.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
December 17, 2007	By:	Darryl M. Burman
		Name: Darryl M. Burman
		Title: Vice President

Exhibit Index

Exhibit No.	Description
99.1	Press release of Group 1 Automotive, Inc., dated as of December 17, 2007.

EX-99.1

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
MONDAY, DEC. 17, 2007

GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE ACQUIRES THREE LUXURY / IMPORT DEALERSHIPS

HOUSTON, Dec. 17, 2007 — Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), a Fortune 500 automotive retailer, today announced it has expanded its luxury and import offerings in its Eastern Region by acquiring Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Volkswagen franchises in Georgia and South Carolina. The three dealerships are expected to generate approximately $107.1 million in estimated annual revenues.

The dealerships will operate under the names Mercedes-Benz of Augusta, located in Augusta, Ga.; and BMW of Columbia, and Advantage Volkswagen, both of Columbia, S.C.

“We are delighted to add these growing import/luxury brands to our portfolio in these expanding markets,” said Earl J. Hesterberg, Group 1’s president and chief executive officer.

Year to date, including the above-mentioned acquisitions, Group 1 has acquired 12 import/luxury franchises that are expected to generate $410.2 million in estimated annual revenues. Group 1 noted that it anticipates closing on additional pending acquisitions around year end that are included in its $600 million 2007 full-year acquisition target.

About Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
Group 1 owns and operates 99 automotive dealerships, 134 franchises, and 24 collision service centers in the United States and three dealerships, six franchises and two collision centers in the United Kingdom that offer 31 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.

This press release contains “forward-looking statements,” which are statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, the forward-looking statements often include statements regarding our goals, plans, projections and guidance regarding our financial position, results of operations, market position, pending and potential future acquisitions and business strategy, and often contain words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks” or “will.” Any such forward-looking statements are not assurances of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, (a) general economic and business conditions, (b) the level of manufacturer incentives, (c) the future regulatory environment, (d) our ability to obtain an inventory of desirable new and used vehicles, (e) our relationship with our automobile manufacturers and the willingness of manufacturers to approve future acquisitions, (f) our cost of financing and the availability of credit for consumers, (g) our ability to complete acquisitions and dispositions and the risks associated therewith, (h) foreign exchange controls and currency fluctuations, and (i) our ability to retain key personnel. These factors, as well as additional factors that could affect our forward-looking statements, are described in our Form 10-K under the headings “Business—Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” We urge you to carefully consider this information. We undertake no duty to update our forward-looking statements, including our earnings outlook.