Livonia Welcomes Penske Automotive Group as New Owner of Bill Brown Ford
In a striking development, Penske Automotive Group Inc, based in Bloomfield Township, recently announced the acquisition of Bill Brown Ford in Livonia. Although the terms of the deal remain undisclosed, the acquisition is predicted to bring $550 million in estimated annualized revenue.
As a part of this acquisition, Penske will now own over 200,000 square feet of existing facilities spread across 29 acres. This includes the main dealership premises, a pre-owned facility, a collision center, and a fleet maintenance center that is located at 32222 Plymouth Road. This acquisition marks a significant progress for Penske Automotive Group, which has already completed acquisitions representing nearly $2 billion in estimated annualized revenue in 2024.
A Century-Old Legacy Handed Over to Penske
For almost a century, Bill Brown Ford has stood as a key player in the greater Detroit community. Known for its strong customer-focused culture, the need was felt to find a competent buyer who valued the legacy of the business and had the potential to carry forward the work.
Tom Brown, owner of Bill Brown Ford, speaks about the selection of Penske Automotive Group as their buyer, “It was essential to find a buyer who values the culture we’ve created at Bill Brown Ford and would carry on our family’s legacy as a trusted provider of vehicle sales and service in southeast Michigan. Penske Automotive Group fits this need perfectly. We could not have achieved this without the Presidio team, which guided us through the entire process and exceeded our expectations.”
About Bill Brown Ford: Awards and Accolades
Having been established in 1940, Bill Brown Ford has had a long run of success and recognition. The dealership has an impressive track record of winning Ford’s most prestigious dealership awards — the automaker’s Triple Crown Award — for the last seven consecutive years and its President’s Award for the last 17 consecutive years.
For the past 50 years, Ed Brown led the business until his demise in March 2023. His leadership played a key role in focussing the dealership towards a customer-first approach, a legacy that his children, the current owners Tom Brown and Ruth Ann Brown, have successfully maintained.
Penske’s Future Plans with Bill Brown Ford
Expressing his delight over this acquisition, Roger Penske, CEO of Penske Automotive Group, said, “We welcome Bill Brown Ford employees to the Penske family and look forward to carrying on the family’s legacy.”
As part of its growth strategy, Penske Automotive Group operates dealerships in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Australia. The company has more than 28,500 employees worldwide and is a leading retailer of commercial trucks in North America for Freightliner. Additionally, PAG owns 28.9 percent of Penske Transportation Solutions, a business that employs more than 44,000 people worldwide.
For more information about both establishments, visit the official websites, billbrownford.net and penskeautomotive.com.
