NEWS RELEASE 950 Echo Lane, Suite 100 Houston, TX 77024

AT GROUP 1:	President and CEO	Earl J. Hesterberg	(713) 647-5700
	Senior Vice President and CFO	John C. Rickel	(713) 647-5700
	Manager, Investor Relations	Kim Paper Canning	(713) 647-5700
AT Fleishman-Hillard:	Investors	John O. Ambler	(713) 513-9513
AT Pierpont Communications:	Media	Clint L. Woods	(713) 627-2223

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2007

GROUP 1 AUTOMOTIVE DECLARES QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND

HOUSTON, May 17, 2007 — Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), a Fortune 500 automotive retailer, today announced that its board of directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.14 per share payable on June 15, 2007, to stockholders of record on June 1, 2007.

About Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
Group 1 owns and operates 102 automotive dealerships, 140 franchises and 28 collision service centers in the United States and three dealerships, six franchises and two collision centers in the United Kingdom that offer 32 brands of automobiles. Through its dealerships, the company sells new and used cars and light trucks; arranges related financing, vehicle service and insurance contracts; provides maintenance and repair services; and sells replacement parts.

Group 1 Automotive can be reached on the Internet at www.group1auto.com.