Group 1 Automotive has acquired Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia, with the assistance of The Presido Group. In today’s episode of Inside Automotive, George Karolis, president of The Presidio Group, and Jamie Albertine, vice president of corporate development at Group 1 Automotive, discuss the details behind the transaction and what it signals for the broader buy-sell market.
Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead is one of the highest-volume, highly sought-after Mercedes dealerships in the Southeast and was owned by the highly respected Baranco family. Group 1 Automotive now owns a total of 33 Mercedes-Benz dealerships globally.
Group 1’s M&A strategy, Albertine says, is to identify large dealeships that generate over $100 million in annual revenue, located in rapidly growing markets and anchored by strong, legacy brands built for long-term success. Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead checked all of those boxes. With Presidio’s assistance, the deal was finalized Monday, Aug. 4, and included all dealership real estate.
"We want to enhance what Greg [Baranco] and his family have built over so many years. They are a staple in the community." — Jamie Albertine
This landmark deal also marks a resurgence in M&A activity after a slower start to 2025, as post-election and tariff uncertainty begins to settle. It is Presidio’s sixth transaction since June and its seventeenth Mercedes-Benz deal.
Karolis notes that there is renewed interest in large luxury stores in strong metro areas. Profitability profiles remain higher than pre-COVID averages, and the dealership model continues to prove resilient. It’s still a seller’s market, with the number of buyers outpacing the number of available deals. Karolis anticipates this pace to continue through the end of the year and into 2026.
"It's still a seller's market. There's a lot more buyers out there than there are deals available. This is an iconic deal." — George Karolis
Group 1 Automotive prides itself on empowering the teams of the stores it acquires to do what they do best: sell and service cars. The company maintains a hands-off approach, offering support in marketing, human resources, IT and legal guidance, rather than exerting control over daily operations.
With the Buckhead location situated close to Mercedes-Benz USA headquarters, Albertine stresses the importance of maintaining an excellent CSI score. He welcomes the added pressure, calling it a valuable opportunity to actively demonstrate to senior executives their passion and care for both the customer experience and the brand.
