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Sutherlin Automotive Group of Buford, Ga., said it completed a rare transaction of a standalone Genesis dealership when it purchased Genesis of Fort Myers in Florida from Morgan Automotive Group on June 1, according to Sutherlin CEO Brett Sutherlin.
Genesis, the luxury arm of Hyundai, became its own brand in 2016. The first standalone Genesis dealership opened in March in Lafayette, La.
Morgan Automotive, which has acquired several dealerships in Florida this year, had Genesis paired with Hyundai in a Fort Myers dealership, according to Sutherlin.
“We feel super strongly about the brand, and that’s why we elected to buy it,” Sutherlin told Automotive News.
Sutherlin said after purchasing the Genesis dealership, which it renamed Fort Myers Genesis, the group moved it to a temporary spot about three miles away. The company broke ground on a new $15 million facility the week of July 4. The new building, located behind the temporary facility, will be next to Sutherlin’s Nissan dealership in Fort Myers, marking its second dealership in the city.
“We’re excited to expand our automotive footprint in an area that we’re proud to do business in,” Sutherlin said in a statement.
The Genesis dealership marks the 11th overall for family-owned Sutherlin Automotive, with locations in Florida and Georgia. In addition to seven Nissan dealerships, the group also owns Sutherlin Mitsubishi in Vero Beach, Fla., and Sutherlin Volkswagen of Lithia Springs and Sutherlin Hyundai Athens, both in Georgia.
Sutherlin said he also expects to close on an acquisition that will expand the company into Tennessee in the next 30 days. He said he also plans to complete a few more deals that will bring the company’s total dealership holdings to 15 or 18 by year’s end.
Sutherlin Automotive of Buford, Ga., ranks No. 108 on Automotive News‘ list of the top 150 dealership groups based in the U.S., retailing 9,261 new vehicles in 2021. Morgan Automotive of Tampa, Fla., ranks No. 8 on that same list, retailing 60,951 new vehicles last year.
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