Fletcher Jones Buys Santa Monica BMW in Landmark California Deal

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – January 20, 2026 – In a significant move underscoring the enduring allure of California's luxury automotive market, the prestigious Santa Monica BMW dealership has been sold to the Fletcher Jones Automotive Group. The landmark transaction marks the end of a 40-year legacy for owner Del Montell and a strategic entry into the BMW market for the acquirer. Haig Partners LLC, a premier buy-sell advisory firm, served as the exclusive sell-side advisor, navigating the high-stakes deal in one of the nation's most competitive retail environments.

A Coveted Asset and a Legacy's End

For over four decades, Santa Monica BMW has been a fixture on the Westside of Los Angeles. Founded in 1974 and acquired by Del Montell in 1983, the dealership cultivated a sterling reputation for customer service, becoming synonymous with the BMW brand in a market where performance, design, and innovation are highly prized. The combination of a top-tier brand, an irreplaceable location, and decades of goodwill made it one of the most desirable luxury dealership assets in the country.

The decision to sell was not one Montell took lightly. After building the business for the better part of his life, ensuring a smooth transition and maximizing the value he had created were paramount. This led him to engage Haig Partners to orchestrate a confidential, limited marketing process that attracted impressive offers from several leading auto retailers.

“When I decided to retire and sell Santa Monica BMW, I carefully researched and evaluated several advisory firms as I wanted to have proven experts to help me to maximize the value of my dealership,” Montell stated. “From the beginning, it was clear to me that Jayson Crouch and the team at Haig Partners were the best choice. Jayson’s knowledge of auto retail, his experience with high-value dealerships, and his deep understanding of the California market allowed him to position our business in the best possible way. Plus, I trusted him.”

Montell expressed profound satisfaction with the outcome, adding, “The result speaks for itself. Also, I’m so pleased that my former employees and customers will be in the hands of Fletcher Jones, one of the best luxury dealers on the planet. I congratulate them and wish them much success.”

Fletcher Jones Strategically Enters the BMW Arena

The acquisition represents a pivotal expansion for Fletcher Jones Automotive Group. While the group operates 15 other dealerships across California and Nevada, the Santa Monica location—now rebranded as BMW of Santa Monica—is its first-ever BMW franchise. This move signals a deliberate strategy to deepen its footprint in the Southern California luxury sector, a market the group has dominated for decades. With a history stretching back 75 years, Fletcher Jones has built an empire largely on the back of its Mercedes-Benz success, with its flagship Newport Beach location holding the title of #1 Mercedes-Benz Center for 22 consecutive years.

This focused approach was recently highlighted by the group's decision to sell two of its Chicago stores to concentrate on its core West Coast operations. The acquisition of a premier BMW store in Santa Monica fits perfectly within this refined strategy. It allows the group to leverage its renowned operational model, known as “the Fletcher Jones Difference,” which emphasizes world-class customer service and vast inventory, and apply it to another iconic German luxury brand.

Jayson Crouch, Managing Director at Haig Partners, commented on the buyer's strategic fit. “Fletcher Jones was selected from several premier groups pursuing this opportunity, and it was a pleasure working with them to achieve such a strong result,” he said. “They are decisive and highly knowledgeable about the luxury market. It is obvious to us why they are a leading retailer in the U.S.”

California's Golden Touch: A Hotbed for Auto Retail Investment

The sale of Santa Monica BMW is a testament to California’s status as the most desirable automotive retail market in the nation. The Golden State’s combination of dense, highly affluent populations and a deep-rooted car culture creates fertile ground for luxury brands. This environment continues to attract significant investment from the country's largest and most sophisticated dealership groups, fueling a highly competitive M&A landscape.

Recent data underscores the market's strength. While dealership profits nationwide have normalized from post-pandemic peaks, they remain nearly double their 2019 levels, establishing a new, higher baseline for profitability. Furthermore, California is at the epicenter of the electric vehicle transition. In the first quarter of 2025, the combined market share for battery-electric, plug-in hybrid, and hybrid vehicles in the state reached an impressive 42.4%. Franchised dealers are increasingly central to this shift, capturing a growing share of EV sales.

This robust demand and evolving product landscape are occurring alongside a changing regulatory environment. The passage of the California Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Act in late 2025, set to take effect later this year, introduces comprehensive new rules governing sales practices, price advertising, and add-on products. While the law adds complexity, it also provides the “improved visibility around long-term regulatory expectations” that reinforces buyer confidence. For sophisticated investors like Fletcher Jones, this clarity allows for better risk assessment and strategic planning, making high-value assets in California a calculated, rather than speculative, investment.

This complex interplay of market demand, technological transition, and regulatory evolution is where expert guidance becomes critical. Jay Patel, a long-time advisor to Del Montell, praised the advisory team's role in the process. “Jayson and the Haig Partners team proved that they were the best M&A advisory firm for my client,” Patel noted. “They lived up to their reputation of being honest, hard-working, and highly experienced. They under-promised and over-delivered. We could not be happier with the outcome.” This sentiment highlights the essential role of deep market knowledge in successfully closing deals of this magnitude in today's dynamic automotive retail sector.