Last week, Capital Automotive Group announced the acquisition of six Larry Cloninger dealerships and an independent collision center in North and South Carolina, marking a significant expansion for the family-owned automotive group. The move includes four locations in Salisbury as well as the others.
The acquisition includes:
- Cloninger Toyota in Salisbury
- Cloninger Ford in Salisbury
- Cloninger Honda in Salisbury
- Cloninger Collision Center in Salisbury
- Toyota of Florence in Florence, South Carolina
- Cloninger Ford of Morganton in Morganton
- Cloninger Ford of Hickory in Hickory
For Cloninger and the Michael family, however, the transaction represents more than the transfer of dealerships.
Cloninger and Capital Automotive Group’s Tim Michael have been friends and respected colleagues in the automotive industry for more than 40 years.
“Throughout their careers, both families built their organizations around many of the same principles: treating employees like family, taking care of customers, giving back to their communities and building businesses intended to last for generations,” the company’s press release said.
That longstanding relationship made the Michael family a natural choice when the time came for Cloninger to consider the future of the dealerships bearing his family name.
“When you spend your life building something, the people you ultimately entrust it to matter tremendously,” Cloninger said. “I have known Tim and the Michael family for more than 40 years. I know the kind of people they are, the way they operate their dealerships and the importance they place on their employees and communities. There is a tremendous amount of comfort in knowing these stores and our people are being handed to a family we know, respect and trust.”
For Capital Automotive Group, the opportunity comes with both excitement and a sense of responsibility to honor what the Cloninger family has built.
“Larry has been a friend of our family for more than four decades, and that makes this acquisition incredibly special to us,” Michael said. “We have tremendous respect for Larry, his family and the organization they have built. You don’t create a legacy like this overnight. It comes from decades of hard work, relationships and doing the right thing for your employees, your customers and your community. We are honored that Larry has trusted our family with what he has built, and we take that responsibility very seriously.”
As part of the transition, Capital Automotive Group will carry forward a message already familiar to Cloninger customers and employees: Just Better.
“The phrase ‘Just Better’ really captures how we want to approach this transition,” said Lindsey Michael Longo of Capital Automotive Group. “This isn’t about changing what has made these dealerships successful. It’s about honoring what Larry and his teams have built, keeping the great people and strong local relationships already in place and giving those teams additional resources and opportunities for the future. Same people. Same commitment. Just better.”
Capital Automotive Group’s priority throughout the transition will be continuity for employees, customers and the communities the dealerships have served for generations.
“Our goal isn’t simply to acquire dealerships; it’s to build upon great organizations,” Longo said. “The Cloninger stores have strong teams, loyal customers and deep roots in their communities. We want those employees to know how much we value what they have helped build. We are coming into these stores with tremendous respect for their history and with a commitment to invest in their people, their customers and their future.”
The acquisition strengthens Capital Automotive Group’s presence throughout North Carolina while expanding the company’s footprint in South Carolina. It also adds Toyota and Honda locations in markets alongside Capital’s growing Ford representation.
Both families share a multigenerational connection to the automotive business, making the transition particularly meaningful. Capital Automotive Group’s history began with the purchase of Capital Ford in Raleigh in 1985 and has grown substantially over the decades, while remaining grounded in the relationships and values established by its founders.
“There are acquisitions that make sense on paper, and then there are opportunities that mean something personally,” Michael said. “This one means something to our family. Larry’s friendship has spanned nearly our entire history in the automotive business. We are grateful for his confidence in us, and we intend to make him proud of where these dealerships go from here.”
Capital Automotive Group plans to work closely with the existing leadership and employees at each location to ensure a seamless transition and to continue providing customers with the service and relationships they have come to expect.
The acquisition officially closes one chapter for the Cloninger family while beginning another under the Michael family’s leadership — connecting two automotive families whose friendship and mutual respect began more than 40 years ago.
