<ARTICLE> 5 <CIK> 0001019849 <NAME> UNITED AUTO GROUP, INC. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 DEC-01-1996 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 JAN-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997 DEC-31-1996 <CASH> 43,318 66,875 <SECURITIES> 0 0 <RECEIVABLES> 85,699 53,241 <ALLOWANCES> 4,816 1,223 <INVENTORY> 262,937 168,855 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 399,481 299,571 <PP&E> 37,286 25,967 <DEPRECIATION> 4,346 3,626 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 755,594 522,950 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 331,680 221,455 <BONDS> 93,722 11,121 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 <COMMON> 2 2 <OTHER-SE> 317,527 281,466 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 55,594 522,950 <SALES> 915,158 1,302,031 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 917,540 1,303,829 <CGS> 798,896 1,157,368 <TOTAL-COSTS> 896,643 1,284,479 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 97 103 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 2,506 4,716 <INCOME-PRETAX> 18,391 13,731 <INCOME-TAX> 7,378 6,270 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 10,916 7,461 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 4,987 <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 10,916 2,474 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.61 0.23 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.61 0.23