<ARTICLE>                                          5
<LEGEND>
This financial data schedule  contains summary  financial  information as of and
for the three months ended March 31, 1999, which is extracted from the Condensed
Consolidated  Balance Sheets,  Statements of Operations,  and Statements of Cash
Flows, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the financial statements
within the report of Form 10-Q filing.
</LEGEND>

<CIK>                           0001012704
<NAME>                  UGLY DUCKLING CORP
<MULTIPLIER>                         1,000
       
                                    
<PERIOD-TYPE>                        3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                   Mar-31-1999
<CASH>                               4,387
<SECURITIES>                             0
<RECEIVABLES>                      332,971
<ALLOWANCES>                        73,373
<INVENTORY>                         39,891
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                     0<F1>
<PP&E>                              44,237
<DEPRECIATION>                       9,938
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                     406,616
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                0<F1>
<BONDS>                                  0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0
<PREFERRED>                              0
<COMMON>                                19
<OTHER-SE>                         157,871
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>       406,616
<SALES>                            106,443
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                   130,118
<CGS>                               60,097
<TOTAL-COSTS>                            0
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                    37,104
<LOSS-PROVISION>                    28,561
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                   3,656
<INCOME-PRETAX>                        700
<INCOME-TAX>                           280
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                    420
<DISCONTINUED>                           0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                          0
<CHANGES>                                0
<NET-INCOME>                           420
<EPS-PRIMARY>                         0.03
<EPS-DILUTED>                         0.03
<FN>
<F1>UNCLASSIFIED BALANCE SHEET</FN>