Nouri/Shaver Automotive buy Kia dealership in California
Blooming Nouri/Shaver Automotive Group expanded again with its June 29 acquisition of Rally Kia in Palmdale, Calif., a dealership that had been the subject of a lawsuit involving Kia America.
The renamed Palmdale Kia will get a building remodel and some staffing changes, Nouri/Shaver co-owner Bob Nouri told Automotive News via email.
The seller was Rally Auto Group Inc. Palmdale is northeast of Los Angeles.
Kia America in January 2022 filed a lawsuit against the owners of Rally Kia and the owners of Dalia Auto Group for improperly selling the Kia store to Dalia Auto.
A July 6 filing in the federal court case, signed by U.S. District Judge James Selna, said the parties in that case entered into a settlement agreement on June 29 that settles claims and counterclaims and that the case has been dismissed with prejudice.
Kia America spokesman James Bell confirmed to Automotive News the legal sale of the dealership to Nouri/Shaver Automotive Group.
Nouri and partner Pete Shaver capped an acquisitive 2022 with the purchase of Suburban Buick-GMC-Cadillac of Costa Mesa in California.
Most recently, Nouri/Shaver purchased the late Cal Worthington’s iconic Worthington Ford dealership in Los Angeles.
Nouri said he expects the group to buy more dealerships this year.
Five Star grows again in Ohio
Growing Five Star Automotive Group continued its Midwest expansion with the purchase of two Ohio stores in the second quarter.
Five Star Automotive on April 26 bought Cain Toyota and Cain BMW, both in North Canton, Ohio, from father and son David Cain and Brian Cain, according to Tim Lamb Group, a buy-sell firm in Columbus, Ohio. The two stores were the only dealerships the Cains owned, said Tim Lamb, the firm’s president, who represented the sellers in the transaction.
The dealerships were renamed Toyota of North Canton and BMW of North Canton. North Canton is south of Akron.
In June 2022, Five Star Automotive bought three dealerships near Cleveland.
The Five Star group, a family-owned operation, was founded in 1986 with one Dodge dealership in Macon, Ga. In addition to Ohio, it has dealerships in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee and Indiana.
Terry Taylor, partner add dealerships in Massachusetts
Automotive Management Services Inc., owned by mega auto retailer Terry Taylor, on Feb. 27 added Acura and Hyundai-Genesis dealerships in Massachusetts, James Thorp confirmed to Automotive News.
Thorp said he also has a minority stake in the stores and is managing partner.
The former Herb Connolly Acura of Framingham and Herb Connolly Hyundai-Genesis of Framingham were sold by Adam Connolly and Chris Connolly Jr., of the Herb Connolly Auto Group, Thorp said.
Major renovations are planned for the Acura and Hyundai stores, while a new facility for Genesis will be built, Thorp said. Until then, Genesis will operate on the same property as the Hyundai store. Framingham is west of Boston.
The dealerships, renamed MetroWest Acura and MetroWest Hyundai-Genesis of Framingham, are the only ones Thorp co-owns with Taylor, Thorp said.
Taylor and ASMI, of West Palm Beach, Fla., purchased a Hyundai-Genesis dealership in New Jersey in August 2022 and a month later added a Honda store in Reading, Mass.
