Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick, powered by CBT News

Dave Cantin and David Wyler on a Unicorn Luxury Transaction

• Jim Fitzpatrick • Season 1 • Episode 60

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A landmark acquisition is redefining Ohio’s luxury automotive landscape as the Jeff Wyler Automotive Family acquires Midwestern Auto Group and launches The Wyler Collection. On this episode of Inside Automotive, CEO David Wyler joins Dave Cantin, CEO and Chairman of the Dave Cantin Group, to discuss the strategy behind the transaction and what it means for luxury retail consolidation.

The conversation explores why the single-site Dublin, Ohio luxury campus—home to 14 premium and ultra-luxury brands—represents a rare opportunity, and how the acquisition aligns with Wyler’s disciplined, regionally focused growth strategy. Wyler and Cantin also address the importance of cultural alignment, OEM relationships, and long-term planning in large-scale dealership transitions. Together, they offer insight into why legacy preservation, operational readiness, and generational thinking played a central role in bringing the deal together.

Topics covered:

  • The strategic rationale behind acquiring Midwestern Auto Group
  • Launching The Wyler Collection and expanding luxury brand reach
  • Preserving culture and legacy during ownership transitions
  • The role of OEM alignment in complex luxury transactions
  • What the deal signals about luxury retail consolidation

Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick is powered by CBT News, your go-to source for the latest news, trends, and insights in retail automotive. Subscribe for more interviews with top industry leaders, dealership innovators, and experts shaping the future of automotive.

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Jim Fitzpatrick:

Welcome to Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick. The Jeff Weiler Automotive Family has acquired Midwest Auto Group. That's a big announcement. The acquisition includes 14 premium and ultra luxury brands and will now operate under the new name, the W the Weiler Collection. Nice name, by the way. Joining us to break it all down are David Weiler, CEO of Jeff Weiler Automotive Family, and Dave Canton, who is the CEO and chairman of the Dave Canton Group, who served as the sell side advisor on this transaction. David and Dave, thank you so much for joining me on the show today. Very much appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01:

So good afternoon, Jim. Sure, sir. Great to have you and uh thank you for taking the time for us today.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

Absolutely. So, David, what made Midwest Auto Group and the single luxury campus uh that you just acquired such a strategic fit for the Jeff Weiler uh automotive family?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, Jim, so um, you know, as we look for acquisitions, right? We're we're based in Cincinnati, Ohio. So anything regionally um that may or not come available, we definitely want to take a look at. Uh and you you have 14 brands that are iconic that we didn't represent. Um and in a fantastic uh location in Dublin, Ohio. It was something uh definitely in our wheelhouse that we were definitely interested in. Um we we already have an existing footprint in the Columbus uh market, and uh it certainly was something that we wanted to explore.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

Yeah, that's fantastic. Dave, transactions like this don't come along often for sure. So, from an MA perspective, what made this deal so rare in today's market?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, look, uh representing Mark in the succession plan uh uh of selling this acquisition, um, as learning how he put this together over 38 years, 14 luxury dealerships on one campus. You know, I think that's the most, you know, exciting part of this for anyone that we were going to go to on it. It's 14 of most incredible brands on one campus, one entrance, one exit. You pull it and you have the you know, you know, the unique opportunity. And and and we called it a unicorn. I mean, this is that unicorn type of acquisition that allows someone to add, like the Wilers, 14 brands, some which some of which you have and some of which you don't, into your platform. And uh it's incredibly unique. You know, you you you see something like this come around every few decades. And when it does, you know, the task of what we were kind of uh provided with of going out there and seeing, okay, who is the best qualified candidate for an acquisition like this. You know, part of the succession plan was listening to Mark Bretinger and understanding, you know, who do we pass the torch to, who gets to carry on that legacy. Yeah. Um, you know, he really wanted it to be an Ohio dealer group. We needed to then make sure it's an Ohio dealer group that could afford such a big check, that could be approved by 14 OEMs, and that really understands about, you know, one of the greatest things for Mark was he wanted it only transacted once. And I think he mentioned that to David and Jeff multiple times, you know, asking them, are you ever gonna sell this thing? And I can tell you, uh, we absolutely found the best party. There is not a better fit for this organization, for this acquisition than the Weiler group. They are phenomenal.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

That's great. That's great. David, with the launch of the Weiler collection, you're creating a one-of-a-kind luxury retail destination. The acquisitions include Ferrari, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lamborghini, Lotus, Maserati, Volvo, Volkswagen, Audi, Mini, BMW, Jaguar, and Land Rover. Wow. Talk to us about that and what the strategy is there.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so um those 14 brands we actually don't represent, you know, as of two days ago. We we we weren't those dealers. And so um being so regionally focused the way that we are, that really just opens up uh our existing uh client base for them, you know, to have more options candidly, right? And so um being able to, you know, be a Ferrari dealer, a Porsche dealer, a Lamborghini dealer, a Bentley dealer, right, so on and so forth down the line. But again, as Dave had mentioned, at one campus uh within our footprint, yeah, uh, this is definitely uh something that uh we we are so excited about. Uh all of our 2500 team members are excited. Um you know, what's even more exciting is trying to do a deal when you've got three boys, right, that are in their early 20s and not trying to disappoint them and because who wouldn't want to be a Ferrari dealer, right?

Jim Fitzpatrick:

Of course, yeah, no question about it. When it when it comes to a merger like this, uh or an acquisition, I should say, um often the the challenge is mixing the two cultures together, right? The from the you know the the the uh Jeff Weiler group from from coming into and bringing all these different brands in and this other auto group. Talk to me about the importance of that and how that's done successfully.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so there's I think there's two phases there, Jim. So friend first, you know, um Jeff Weil Automotive family, we've been in business for 52 years, right? Yeah, um, and not really uh in the luxury exotic market. So, you know, with our branding with the Jeff Weiler Automotive family, actually in this current market as well in Columbus, uh we we thought it would be important um to change, change the brand um from the Ms. Midwest Autogroup Mag, as uh some folks may um remember to the Weiler collection or quite simply TWC. Okay. And so um the infrastructure, right, is already here uh in terms of um our systems, um policies, procedures, you know, and how we operate, you know, as a company. Okay. And merging these two cultures together, um, I think is um is is definitely gonna be a challenge. But um everybody here, the 250 men and women that are here uh at TWC are are truly excited and they they want to evolve, they want to learn. Um, and we're just excited to be to be part of their team.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

Yeah, that's great. Dave, I know you've done hundreds of transactions in your time, and uh you've you've witnessed this firsthand. You've had a front row seat as to how the cultures come together. Talk to us from your perspective about that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, Jim, I'll start by saying, first of all, before even arriving to the dealership to try to complete this transaction, just the preparation alone that that David and their entire team did at Jeff Weiler Automotive Group was was beyond and above, it was just above and beyond what we're accustomed to seeing. They are incredibly professional, um, proactive in every area possible. They weren't walking into something that they weren't already considering. And that is one of the most thoughtful approaches in a transition. You know, for some dealers, you're just buying something, you're adding it in, it's a tuck-in opportunity. They were incredibly thoughtful. You know, David put an entire team together to handle this transition. And when we walked in there uh on Sunday and we witnessed this team, um, they were there and they weren't leaving until this transition, and they're probably still there, wasn't a hundred percent put in place. And, you know, just to learn in a few days the culture of how they operate. I left there yesterday and got on the phone with the president of DCG and said, we could do better. You know, witnessing the culture of how they operate. I'm telling you, David, I was so incredibly impressed. And again, we represent the largest groups publicly and privately in the automotive industry. Um, I'm giving you the gold award. I've never witnessed something like that. Having Jeff there, having Scott there, David's brother-in-law, seeing how they cooperate, you know, just everyone cooperates with each other. Everyone really just it commends and and and compliments each other.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And you know, when you're witnessing that and when you're seeing how that flows right up at the executive team, guess what? It goes right down, right to the lot attendance. I mean, everyone respects that. And um, the transition could not have gone any better. And it started with the way that Jeff, David, and Scott led that process. That's great. And um, it was absolutely incredible.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

That's fantastic. Congratulations, David, on that, because you don't always see that in the automotive industry. You know, when you've got family-run organizations of 52 years and brothers and brother-in-laws and everything else, it's not always that that smooth. So, congratulations on that. So, David, when you look ahead five to 10 years, how do you see the Weiler collection shaping your company's future?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, I it's a great question. So, again, this is our first foray in these 14 different manufacturers. And, you know, for us, um, we've always um had a culture that uh our OEM partners, um, they're part of our team, they're part of our family. You know, my dad, before he went retail in 1973, was a Chevrolet district sales manager, and he's always taught us the importance of the relationship and the partnership with our OEMs. And what I'm most excited about, not only this opportunity, but getting to know uh on a personal level, you know, everybody of the 14 different OEMs. Um and then growing and expanding um with any future opportunities with them. And that's kind of been um our MO over the years, right? Um, is being able to work with our existing OEMs for future opportunities, uh, for future expansion. And um certainly uh these 14 brands would be no different.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

Yeah, that's fantastic. David, looking at the broader industry, or Dave, I should say, looking at the broader industry, what does this deal signal about the future of luxury automotive retail and consolidation in this new year and beyond?

SPEAKER_01:

It's incredibly exciting, first and foremost, to see dealers that have the ability to invest in any sector they want still investing significant dollars and you know, families generational wealth into the industry to grow. That's a that's an incredibly strong signal here. And you know, we had you know, we had we when you build a team, a succession plan around around somebody who's been in business 38 years and you involve some of the most influential groups like Goldman Sachs that was involved in this on the sell side as well. Yeah, you know, you you start to think to yourself, look at all of this money that dealers are willing to still participate and reinvest into this space. It is a very strong signal for. You know, the Weiler family isn't just doing this to buy car dealerships. You know, what I've learned over the last few days, the generations to follow are decades and centuries ahead of us. The way that they plan for the future, again, something that is the American dream that we don't see so much anymore. The thoughtful approach that they take to grow the next generation, to insert the next generation into the business, I was blown away.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And uh I know this is gonna be a very successful uh acquisition for the family.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

That's great. David, last question is for you. Will we see any more acquisitions in 2026 coming from the Jeff Weiler family?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, you know, there is there's not a deal that I don't want to look at. Um, you know, we are pretty strategic. Uh I think we're disciplined in our approach when it comes to future acquisitions. And um there's certainly uh opportunities that we're gonna take a look at. Um, but again, uh this is uh this is a significant transaction, right? Um and so we're gonna have to digest this. But uh I know I know Dave is uh Dave is gonna be working hard uh for the Weiler family here, not only this year, but for for years to come to help grow and expand our footprint. And just as a side note, I I do want to just I want to compliment Dave and his team. What a fantastic and professional job um that they did for um for Mark Brentlinger, right? Um and obviously uh being an advocate for Mark, but uh I could genuinely tell that that Dave and his team um truly uh wanted you know myself and and my family uh to make this deal work and and to fit. And so uh I can't I can't thank you enough, Dave, for for what you've what you've done.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

That's great. Dave, did you want to did you want to add to that?

SPEAKER_01:

Uh please, if you don't mind, David, thank you for that. And the greatest reward we get to see um post-acquisition is is a group that carries on that legacy, um, that feels great about the accomplishment. And uh I walked out of there yesterday and I couldn't have felt any better. So thank you uh for everything that you've done, your father, your brother-in-law, your entire team, the professionalism, the courtesy, uh, the welcoming of what you guys uh created is bar none, the highest level I've ever experienced in my entire career.

Jim Fitzpatrick:

That's great. That's great. David Weiler, CEO of the Jeff Weiler Automotive Family of Dealerships, and Dave Canton, who's the CEO and chairman of the Dave Canton Group. Gentlemen, thank you so much for joining me here at CBT News. Very much appreciate it. I know this made big waves out there in the automotive community, a lot of people talking about it. So I'm sure they're gonna be running up to you at NADA and saying, Tell me more. But I appreciate all the time you've given us. And congratulations to both of you.

SPEAKER_01:

Thank you, Dave. Thank you, thank you, Jim. Thank you, David. Thanks, Jim.

SPEAKER_02:

Thanks for watching Inside Automotive with Jim Fitzpatrick.