Rigell’s dealerships to become part of Priority Automotive

Published November 14, 2014 by Robert Powell, III

Freedom Ford in Norfolk and Freedom Volvo in Virginia Beach will become a part of Chesapeake-based  Priority Automotive by the end of this year.

The dealerships were founded in 1991 by U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell (R-2nd District), who was re-elected to Congress on Nov. 4. He announced after the election that he was selling the dealerships but keeping a minority interest, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

The two Freedom sites will be rebranded as  Priority dealerships when the deal closes, sometime around the end of the year.
The deals bring to 17 the number of new-car dealerships owned  by Priority. The company also owns and operates several used-car dealerships and collision repair centers.  Freedom Ford is located on North Military Highway in Norfolk and Freedom Volvo is on Virginia Beach Boulevard in Virginia Beach. 

Priority Automotive was founded in 1999 by Dennis Ellmer with the acquisition of Chevrolet and Toyota dealerships in Chesapeake. Today Priority owns and operates Priority Toyota/Scion, Priority Honda, Priority Chevrolet, Priority Acura, and Priority Hyundai in Chesapeake and the Priority Indoor Super Store in Virginia Beach.

The company  also owns Priority Toyota/Scion, Priority Nissan, Priority VW, Priority Collision Repair Center, Priority Used Car Super Center and Priority Sales and Service Center in Richmond, as well as Priority Honda in Charlotte, N.C., Priority Honda and Nissan in Newport News, Priority Nissan in Williamsburg and Priority Nissan in Chantilly.

The company has more than 1,200 employees.