Automotive Acquisitions in North Carolina

Hunter Automotive Group, a fourth-generation family-owned auto retailer headquartered in Hendersonville, North Carolina, has acquired Victory Chevrolet in Charlotte to establish a presence in the Charlotte market. The company said the acquisition will be seamless for customers and includes a commitment to local community investment through its Hometown Promise initiative.

Audax Strategic Capital made a structured, non-control equity investment in Strickland Brothers, the Princeton Equity Group-backed quick-lube and automotive maintenance platform, to fund M&A activity and support national expansion. The financing (part of a broader $360 million committed financing led by Golub Capital) closed in early January 2026; financial terms were not disclosed.

Sigma Performance Services Racing (SPS Racing) has acquired AM Racing, combining the two motorsports organizations and leveraging technical support from Ford Racing. The deal brings AM Racing into SPS's expanded national footprint — including entries in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and ARCA Menards Series — and aims to accelerate driver development, engineering performance and competitive capability for the 2026 season.

Tsunami Express Car Wash has closed the acquisition of 53 Take 5 Car Wash locations from Whistle Express Car Wash, expanding Tsunami’s operations to 74 locations across nine states and tripling its Midwest footprint. The acquired sites will be rebranded and upgraded to Tsunami’s CleanTech experience; Tsunami is backed by an affiliate of Point72 Private Investments and Whistle Express served as the seller in the divestiture.

Brixey & Meyer Capital (BMC) has acquired Universal Distribution Group (UDG), a Charlotte-based provider of aftermarket automotive shop equipment, installation, and field service. The deal is an add-on to BMC's automotive shop equipment platform—UDG's founder Josh Lyerly retains a stake and will remain in a leadership role—expanding the platform's geographic coverage and heavy-duty/collision repair capabilities across the Southeast.

Whistle Express, a Charlotte-based car wash operator backed by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, has closed its acquisition of Driven Brands’ Take 5 Car Wash. The deal more than triples Whistle’s footprint to 530+ locations across 23 states, creating the largest express car wash operator in the United States and positioning the company for further scale, technology investment and membership growth.

Sun Auto Tire & Service has acquired Piedmont Radiator and Tire in King, North Carolina, expanding its Sun Auto network footprint in the state. The acquisition is an add-on to Sun Auto's platform as it continues to grow its retail automotive repair and tire service network.

Jacksonville-based investment firm Pablo River Partners has acquired Bob Mayberry Hyundai in Monroe, North Carolina from the Walters family. The transaction, which included approximately 28,000 square feet of dealership facilities on 10 acres, marks the Walters family's exit and Charlie Tomm's return to retail automotive operations.

Classic Collision, LLC acquired Desired Image Collision & Customs Inc in Troutman, NC and Cornelius Paint and Body Shop in Cornelius, NC. The transactions expand Classic Collision's network and presence in North Carolina as it continues to grow its multi-site collision repair platform.

Sonic Automotive acquired Motorcycles of Charlotte and Motorcycles of Greensboro from Mark and Gail Engel, expanding its Sonic Powersports footprint in the Southeast. Performance Brokerage Services served as sell-side advisor and both dealerships will continue operating at their current locations in North Carolina.

Brixey & Meyer Capital (BMC) has acquired Smith Equipment Solutions, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based provider of sales, installation and field service for automotive aftermarket shop equipment. The transaction — closed October 31, 2024 — is BMC's second add-on to its automotive equipment platform (following its recent ProMain purchase) and the sellers, Wil and Emily Smith, will retain an ownership stake.

Brixey & Meyer Capital (BMC), a Cincinnati-based private investment firm, has acquired Professional Maintenance & Equipment, Inc. (PME), a Wade, North Carolina-based distributor and service provider of aftermarket automotive shop equipment. PME's founders Mark and Steven Holden will remain in leadership roles and retain ownership stakes as BMC positions PME for geographic and service/product expansion as part of a broader aftermarket automotive equipment investment strategy.

Quality Collision Group (QCG), an operator of OEM‑certified collision repair centers, has acquired Triangle Collision, a premium collision repair facility in Morrisville (near Cary), North Carolina. The deal expands QCG’s network to 71 locations and strengthens its presence in the greater Raleigh metropolitan area with an OEM‑certified shop capable of Tesla and other manufacturer repairs.

Classic Collision, a national multi-site collision repair operator, has acquired Absolute Collision Center, a seven-store MSO in North Carolina. The acquisition expands Classic Collision's footprint in the North Carolina market and brings Absolute Collision's experienced team and technology under the Classic Collision platform; FOCUS Investment Banking represented Absolute Collision in the transaction.

Holman, a privately owned global automotive services and retail operator, has acquired Leith Automotive Group, a family-run North Carolina dealer group. The deal nearly doubles Holman's retail footprint and adds Leith’s ~1,900 employees and multiple dealerships and an auction facility in the Raleigh/Aberdeen area to Holman's operations.

Hudson Automotive Group has acquired Toyota of North Charlotte from siblings Joe and Bob Siviglia. The dealership, opened in 2003 and located north of Charlotte, North Carolina, will continue operating under Hudson with Bob Siviglia remaining as General Manager; the acquisition expands Hudson's portfolio to 54 dealerships across multiple states.

PGW Auto Glass, a One Equity Partners–backed distributor of automotive replacement glass, has acquired AutoglassCRM, a provider of VIN decoding services and point-of-sale software for automotive glass installers. The acquisition is being rolled into PGW's new Everything Autoglass offering to expand its digital tools and shop-management capabilities for installers.

Quality Collision Group (QCG), a PE-backed consolidator of OEM-certified collision repair centers, has acquired three Relentless Collision locations operating in Raleigh, Cary and Durham, North Carolina. Relentless founder Todd McGowan will join QCG as Chief Development Officer as the shops are integrated into QCG's platform to expand its OEM-certified footprint and EV repair capabilities in the Triangle.

Cerberus Capital Management has acquired Stanadyne LLC and led an investor group that provided a $35 million capital infusion to strengthen the company's balance sheet. Stanadyne, a global designer, manufacturer and remanufacturer of engine fuel and air management systems, will use the capital and Cerberus' backing to invest in engine innovation, expand capabilities, and pursue strategic growth opportunities.

Magnolia Wash Holdings, a Charlotte-based operator of express car washes (operating 93 locations with 25 more under construction), has received a growth capital investment from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, which acquired a majority ownership position. A&M Capital Opportunities Fund (AMCO) will retain a material minority stake; the capital will support Magnolia's continued expansion and membership-driven growth.

Regent acquired the Thermal Acoustical Solutions (TAS) automotive business unit from Clearlake Capital-backed Alkegen. The sale — a divestiture of Alkegen's TAS operations spanning facilities in the United States, Europe and China — allows Alkegen to concentrate on its core specialty materials platform while Regent positions TAS for independent growth in automotive thermal and acoustical components.

CentralBDC, an SJ Partners–backed outsourced Business Development Center (BDC) for automotive dealerships, has taken a majority stake in Better Car People (BCP), an omnichannel outbound customer engagement provider for dealers. The acquisition was funded by SJ Partners with co-investment / financing from Everside Capital Partners, Northcreek Mezzanine and Resolute Capital Partners, with Enterprise Bank & Trust providing an incremental senior term loan; the deal is an add-on to expand CentralBDC's customer engagement platform and capabilities for OEMs and dealer partners.

JM Family Enterprises, through its JM&A Group division, acquired National Truck Protection (NTP) from Kinderhook Industries. NTP, headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is a leading administrator of vehicle service contracts for used commercial vehicles and will become a division of JM&A Group to expand JM Family's F&I and protection product offerings.

Carousel Capital’s sixth fund has acquired a significant ownership interest in Quality Automotive Services, LLC (QAS), a multi-location Valvoline Instant Oil Change franchisee headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The transaction was funded with equity from Carousel Capital and senior debt from Antares Capital to accelerate QAS’s M&A and greenfield expansion across the Southeast and Midwest.

ZIPS Car Wash acquired single-site operations from Heroes Car Wash (Holly Springs, NC) and Rocket Wash Express (Goldsboro, NC), expanding its North Carolina footprint to 32 locations and its nationwide portfolio to more than 225 express car washes. The deals, completed in late December, advance ZIPS's strategy of market density and service for its unlimited wash club members across both metro and smaller communities in the state.

Velocity Truck Centers (part of Velocity Vehicle Group) has acquired Triple-T Truck Centers and its Aftermarket Parts business, expanding VTC's footprint across the Carolinas and the Southeast. The deal brings Triple-T's locations and a New Bern-based parts business into VTC's network as the company grows to 62 locations offering sales, service, parts and financing; owner Tim Matt has sold the business and VTC has committed to retain stewardship of management and employees.

Main Street Capital Corporation provided $27.1 million in first-lien senior secured term debt and a direct minority equity investment to facilitate a minority recapitalization of DMA Sales, LLC, alongside an unnamed co-investor. The transaction supports DMA, a Tabor City, North Carolina-based designer and distributor of ride control and other automotive aftermarket products, and provides liquidity to existing owners while financing continued growth.

Parrish Tire Company (operating as Parrish Tire & Automotive) acquired two Mock Tire locations — Mock Tire at South Park and Mock Tire at Village — in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The transaction, closed July 1, 2021 and advised by Generational Equity, expands Parrish's retail and service footprint in the Northwest Piedmont/foothills region of North Carolina.

Princeton Equity Group completed a strategic (minority) investment in Strickland Brothers, the drive-thru, 10-minute oil change franchisor, to help accelerate the brand's national expansion. Founder Justin Strickland and the existing management team will remain in place; terms of the investment were not disclosed.

Race Winning Brands, a portfolio company of Kinderhook Industries, has acquired Victory 1 Performance, a Mooresville, North Carolina-based manufacturer of high-performance forged titanium and alloy engine valves. The add-on deal (eighth for Race Winning Brands) expands RWB's valvetrain and high-performance component offerings; financial terms were not disclosed.

Kinderhook Industries acquired LAUB Holdings, LLC (doing business as Leonard), a leading retailer of truck accessories, trailers, and sheds headquartered in Mount Airy, North Carolina, from Copeley Capital Management. Leonard operates 59 retail locations in the U.S. Southeast, manufactures sheds at its Mount Airy facility and sources trailers via contract manufacturing; financial terms were not disclosed and financing was provided by Twin Brook Capital Partners.

Nivel Parts & Manufacturing Co. LLC acquired Seizmik, a Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina-based maker of aftermarket UTV (utility-terrain-vehicle) accessories. Seizmik will operate as an independent subsidiary within Nivel’s new Specialty Vehicles division and CEO Steve Shankin will become Executive Vice President of that division. The acquisition expands Nivel’s product and distribution footprint in the UTV aftermarket and complements its recent Side By Side Stuff purchase.

VOXX International Corporation acquired Vehicle Safety Holding Corp. (including Vehicle Safety Manufacturing, LLC and Rostra Brands) from Superior Capital Partners. The acquisition expands VOXX’s automotive OEM and aftermarket capabilities by adding vehicle safety electronics, manufacturing capacity and new distribution channels.

Drew Technologies, part of the IVS division of Opus Group AB (publ), acquired the technology and operating assets of BlueLink Diagnostic Solutions under an asset purchase agreement on August 23, 2019 for approximately MSEK 2.8. The BlueLink technology and North Carolina call-center capabilities will be integrated into Opus IVS (including Drew Technologies and Autologic) to expand remote vehicle diagnostics and technical support offerings.