Consolidating Condensed Financial Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
CONSOLIDATING CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 3,346	$ 17,868	$ 18,178	$ 14,584
Accounts receivable, net	365,794	383,675
Inventories	1,456,409	1,453,546
Other current assets	91,772	68,457
Assets held for sale	56,826	110,485
Total current assets	1,974,147	2,034,031
Property and equipment, net	776,386	720,834
Intangible assets	1,032,914	1,011,889
Equity method investments	288,028	288,406
Other long-term assets	15,404	14,672
Total assets	4,086,879	4,069,832
Floor plan notes payable	854,224	922,295
Floor plan notes payable - non-trade	562,906	492,595
Accounts payable	215,923	253,424
Accrued expenses	232,431	202,644
Current portion of long-term debt	10,285	10,593
Liabilities held for sale	52,480	79,455
Total current liabilities	1,928,249	1,961,006
Long-term debt	706,522	769,285
Deferred tax liabilities	169,993	178,406
Other long-term liabilities	161,884	115,282
Total liabilities	2,966,648	3,023,979
Total equity	1,120,231	1,045,853
Total liabilities and equity	4,086,879	4,069,832
Penske Automotive Group [Member]
CONSOLIDATING CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	287,635	269,021
Inventories	0	0
Other current assets	3,529	1,127
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	291,164	270,148
Property and equipment, net	4,941	4,957
Intangible assets	0	0
Equity method investments	232,836	234,214
Other long-term assets	1,214,041	1,222,168
Total assets	1,742,982	1,731,487
Floor plan notes payable	0	0
Floor plan notes payable - non-trade	45,200	25,000
Accounts payable	2,440	2,186
Accrued expenses	2,787	564
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Liabilities held for sale	0	0
Total current liabilities	50,427	27,750
Long-term debt	572,324	657,884
Deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	622,751	685,634
Total equity	1,120,231	1,045,853
Total liabilities and equity	1,742,982	1,731,487
Eliminations [Member]
CONSOLIDATING CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	(287,636)	(269,021)
Inventories	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	(287,636)	(269,021)
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Intangible assets	0	0
Equity method investments	0	0
Other long-term assets	(1,206,290)	(1,212,538)
Total assets	(1,493,926)	(1,481,559)
Floor plan notes payable	0	0
Floor plan notes payable - non-trade	0	0
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued expenses	(287,636)	(269,021)
Current portion of long-term debt	0	0
Liabilities held for sale	0	0
Total current liabilities	(287,636)	(269,021)
Long-term debt	(40,311)	(77,593)
Deferred tax liabilities	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	(327,947)	(346,614)
Total equity	(1,165,979)	(1,134,945)
Total liabilities and equity	(1,493,926)	(1,481,559)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONSOLIDATING CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents	1,455	15,497	14,054	12,929
Accounts receivable, net	191,091	228,274
Inventories	784,818	878,571
Other current assets	40,711	32,371
Assets held for sale	56,826	110,485
Total current assets	1,074,901	1,265,198
Property and equipment, net	475,265	448,116
Intangible assets	578,196	489,301
Equity method investments	0	0
Other long-term assets	6,024	3,088
Total assets	2,134,386	2,205,703
Floor plan notes payable	428,753	570,282
Floor plan notes payable - non-trade	265,768	288,274
Accounts payable	76,059	85,926
Accrued expenses	134,202	95,970
Current portion of long-term debt	4,366	1,264
Liabilities held for sale	52,480	79,455
Total current liabilities	961,628	1,121,171
Long-term debt	53,016	49,689
Deferred tax liabilities	156,787	165,666
Other long-term liabilities	115,452	99,238
Total liabilities	1,286,883	1,435,764
Total equity	847,503	769,939
Total liabilities and equity	2,134,386	2,205,703
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CONSOLIDATING CONDENSED BALANCE SHEET
Cash and cash equivalents	1,891	2,371	4,124	1,655
Accounts receivable, net	174,704	155,401
Inventories	671,591	574,975
Other current assets	47,532	34,959
Assets held for sale	0	0
Total current assets	895,718	767,706
Property and equipment, net	296,180	267,761
Intangible assets	454,718	522,588
Equity method investments	55,192	54,192
Other long-term assets	1,629	1,954
Total assets	1,703,437	1,614,201
Floor plan notes payable	425,471	352,013
Floor plan notes payable - non-trade	251,938	179,321
Accounts payable	137,424	165,312
Accrued expenses	383,078	375,131
Current portion of long-term debt	5,919	9,329
Liabilities held for sale	0	0
Total current liabilities	1,203,830	1,081,106
Long-term debt	121,493	139,305
Deferred tax liabilities	13,206	12,740
Other long-term liabilities	46,432	16,044
Total liabilities	1,384,961	1,249,195
Total equity	318,476	365,006
Total liabilities and equity	$ 1,703,437	$ 1,614,201