Auto dealer revs up sales, surpasses $550M

BRADENTON — Gettel Automotive, with 11 dealerships across Florida, moved up 9 spots in Automotive News' annual list of the 150 largest auto sales companies nationwide, from 96 to 87.

The company, with three dealerships each in Manatee, Marion and Sarasota counties and two in Alachua County, also ranked 90th in Automotive News' used car sales list. Gettel sold 10,979 new cars and 7,271 used cars last year, according to the magazine. The firm had $556.06 million in 2104 revenues, up 7.9% from 2013, when it had $515.14 million,

Several other Gulf Coast-based dealerships made the 2014 Automotive News lists, including:
• Tampa-based Morgan Auto Group, which ranked 74th on the top 150 list, with 11,832 new car sales among 12 dealerships. Morgan, with 9,120 used car sales, ranked 62nd on that list;
• Tampa-based Ferman Automotive Group ranked two spots ahead of Gettel on the new cars list, with 11,134 total sales among 24 dealerships.
• Tampa-based March/Hodge Automotive ranked 104th on the top 150 list, with 9,668 sales among 13 dealerships. March/Hodge ranked 98th on the used cars list, with 6,832 sales.