Lithia Motors Knocks AutoNation Out of No. 1 Sales Ranking

Booking.com

The parent company of Airstream Adventures, Lithia Motors Inc., once the smallest publicly traded dealership group before embarking on a multiyear dealership buying spree, surpassed longtime No. 1 AutoNation Inc. in new vehicles sold in 2022, according to an Automotive News report.

Lithia retailed 271,596 new vehicles last year, up 4.2%, and more than 40,000 vehicles more than AutoNation, which retailed 229,971 new vehicles, a 12% drop, in 2022.

Lithia retailed 68,159 new vehicles in the fourth quarter, up 5.2%. AutoNation also saw a fourth quarter increase with retail sales of 60,074 new vehicles, up 4.3%.

Lithia’s figures include a small but undisclosed number of vehicles sold in Canada, including those from a Harley-Davidson store.

Lithia acquired Airstream Adventures in October 2022. Airstream Adventures is headquartered in Portland, Ore., with locations throughout the Pacific Northwest and Northern California in key markets including Portland, Seattle, Boise, Spokane, San Francisco, and Morgan Hill.

The acquisition included Ultimate Airstreams, its custom Airstream upfitter, as well as all six Airstream Adventures stores in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California and marks Lithia’s entrance into the luxury recreation vehicle market. Ted Davis, Founder of Airstream Adventures and team stayed on with the company following the transaction.

“We are delighted to welcome the Airstream Adventures stores and its founder, Ted Davis, to our growing Lithia & Driveway family,” Bryan DeBoer, Lithia president and CEO, stated in a release at the time. “Ted and his high performing team have done an exceptional job building the nation’s largest exclusive dealer group. We are committed to becoming a steward of the iconic Airstream brand, ensuring that consumers will continue to create memories and adventures that last for generations. With shared core values, the Airstream Adventures’ culture and our team members remain dedicated to providing the Total Guest Experience, a comprehensive offering including sales, service, parts, customization, storage (where available), education and exclusive camping events.”

Source: https://rvbusiness.com/lithia-motors-knocks-autonation-out-of-no-1-sales-ranking/