Group 1 Dealerships Receive Manufacturers' Awards for Superior Customer Service and Satisfaction

    HOUSTON, April 18 Group 1 Automotive, Inc. , a
Fortune 500 company in the automotive retailing industry, today announced that
its dealerships received manufacturers' awards for superior customer service
and satisfaction for 2000.
    "These awards are the result of our commitment to deliver outstanding
customer satisfaction in every area of our dealerships," said B.B.
Hollingsworth Jr., Group 1's chairman, president and chief executive officer.
"We are honored to be recognized by the manufacturers and by our customers."
    The manufacturers' awards included the Lexus Crown Jewel and Elite of
Lexus; the Toyota President's Award, Service and Parts Excellence Awards and
the Board of Governors designation; Ford Blue Oval Certification and Ford
President's Award; DaimlerChrysler Five Star Dealership certification; General
Motors Mark of Excellence; Mazda President's Club Award; Isuzu Partnership Cup
Award; and Mitsubishi Diamond Chapter of Excellence Award.
    The Lexus Crown Jewel, presented to operations with the highest-performing
service and parts personnel, went to Boston-based Ira Lexus.  All three of
Group 1's Lexus operations-Lexus of Clear Lake, Houston; Sterling McCall
Lexus, Houston; and Ira Lexus-were named Elite of Lexus, a prestigious award
for operations that excel at sales, service and overall ownership support.
    Group 1's Toyota dealerships won several awards.  Ira Toyota, Boston and
Sterling McCall Toyota, Houston, received Toyota's highest honor, the
President's Award, given to dealerships that have demonstrated a commitment to
maintaining exceptional standards for customer satisfaction.  Ira, Sterling
McCall and New Orleans-based Bohn Brothers Toyota received Toyota's Service
Excellence Award for customer satisfaction, training and customer-friendly
processes, and Ira and Sterling McCall received Toyota's Parts Excellence
Award, presented to dealerships that have demonstrated a commitment to
maintaining Toyota's highest standards for customer satisfaction.  Ira was
also recognized with the Toyota Board of Governors designation for meeting
several sales and financial benchmarks.
    Gene Messer Ford of Amarillo received the prestigious Ford President's
Award reserved for only about 1 percent of Ford dealerships.  In addition,
Ford Motor Company awarded Blue Oval Certification to Gene Messer Ford,
Lubbock, Texas; Gene Messer Ford of Amarillo, Texas; Rockwall Ford/Mercury,
Rockwall, Texas; World Ford Kendall, Miami; World Ford Pembroke Pines, Fla.;
and World Ford of Sandy Springs, Ga.  To earn Blue Oval certification, the
retailer must meet minimum standards for store appearance, employee training,
sales and service procedures, and e-commerce.  Blue Oval certified dealers
receive from Ford certain cash incentives based on new vehicle sales volume.
    Ten of Group 1's dealerships were named DaimlerChrysler Five Star Dealers,
which recognizes them for operating at the highest levels of customer
satisfaction by employing well-trained personnel and utilizing consistent,
customer-focused sales, service and parts processes.  Recipients for 2000 were
Bob Howard Chrysler/Jeep, Oklahoma City; Bob Howard Dodge, Oklahoma City; Casa
Chrysler/Jeep on the Westside, Albuquerque, N.M.; Gene Messer Chrysler/Jeep,
Amarillo, Texas; Ira Chrysler/Jeep, Boston; Maxwell Chrysler South, Austin,
Texas; Maxwell Dodge, Austin; Maxwell Taylor Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep, Austin;
McKinney Dodge, McKinney, Texas; and Mike Smith Dodge, Beaumont, Texas.
    Bob Howard Pontiac/GMC, Oklahoma City; Luby Chevrolet, Denver; and South
Pointe Chevrolet, Oklahoma City, won the GM Mark of Excellence, given to the
top dealerships in a region based on sales performance and Customer
Satisfaction Index scores.
    Boston-based Ira Mazda received the Mazda President's Club Award, which is
presented to dealerships that have strong sales volume and high levels of
customer satisfaction.  Sterling McCall Isuzu, Houston, won the Isuzu
Partnership Cup Award, which is based on sales volume.  The Mitsubishi Diamond
Chapter of Excellence Award in recognition of outstanding sales and
exceptional customer satisfaction was given to Gene Messer Mitsubishi,
Lubbock, Texas.
    Group 1, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading operator in the automotive
retailing industry.  The company has revenues of $3.6 billion, and owns 59
dealerships comprised of 101 franchises, 30 different brands, and 22 collision
service centers located in Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, New Mexico, Colorado,
Georgia, Louisiana and Massachusetts.  Through its dealerships and Internet
sites, the company sells new and used cars and light trucks, provides
maintenance and repair services, sells replacement parts and arranges related
financing, vehicle service and insurance contracts.

    For additional information regarding Group 1 Automotive free of charge via
fax, dial 1-800-PRO-INFO and use the company's stock symbol, "GPI."

    Group 1 Automotive, Inc. can be reached on the Internet at
http://www.group1auto.com