On the Dash:
- Dream Motor Group will acquire Toyota-Lexus of Montgomery in November 2025, marking its first Toyota and Lexus stores.
- The franchises retail roughly 4,500 vehicles annually, with key staff remaining in place throughout the transition.
- The acquisition expands Dream Motor’s luxury portfolio across the Southeast and follows previous high-value Mercedes-Benz purchases.
Dream Motor Group, co-owned by former University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban, former Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannon, and CEO Joe Agresti, is set to acquire Toyota-Lexus of Montgomery from Sutherlin Automotive Group. The deal, expected to close in November 2025, represents Dream Motor’s first Toyota and Lexus acquisition and is projected to be one of the largest dealership transactions in Alabama history. Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions represented the seller in the transaction.
The franchises retail approximately 4,500 new and used vehicles annually. General manager Chuck Easters will remain with Sutherlin Automotive as a vice president following the transition.
Dream Motor has been actively seeking Toyota and Lexus stores to expand its growing portfolio of luxury and premium brands. The group currently owns seven Mercedes-Benz dealerships across Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, and Florida; an Infiniti store in Birmingham, Alabama; and a Ferrari dealership in Nashville. The company also purchased two Mercedes-Benz stores in South Florida in 2023 in a deal valued at roughly $700 million.
Nick Saban, widely regarded as one of college football’s most successful coaches, retired in 2023 after 28 seasons without a losing record and seven national championships. He transitioned to broadcasting, co-hosting ESPN’s College GameDay, and has since expanded his business ventures into automotive retail. Saban previously received a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Birmingham in 2013, following legal clearance from a longtime local dealer.
