MD Johnson, Inc. Premiers First-Ever Documentary on the Sale and Closing of Beverly Hills Porsche and Santa Monica Audi

This first of its kind documentary reveals the secretive process of the sale and closing of the largest Porsche dealership in the US, to Lithia Motors

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, UNITED STATES, April 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- MD Johnson, Inc., a leading sell-side advisor to privately owned automotive dealerships for more than 25 years, has partnered with award-winning Los Angeles producer/director Tony Corella to create a first-of-its-kind documentary that takes viewers inside the real-world sale and closing of a major dealership transaction.

The film follows the transaction of Beverly Hills Porsche—the largest Porsche dealership in the United States—and provides a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what actually happens from initial discussions through final signatures at the closing table. Filmed on location in California, the documentary captures the complexity, intensity, and human dynamics involved in bringing a high-value automotive transaction to completion.

Unlike traditional industry coverage, which focuses on announcements and valuations, the documentary centers on execution—what must happen for a transaction to actually close. Viewers see negotiations unfold, diligence challenges emerge and get resolved, and the disciplined coordination required among buyers, sellers, advisors, and manufacturers.

The film features interviews with executives from Lithia Motors, Inc., including company president Brian Osterhout, as well as selling dealer principal Geoff Emery. Their first-hand perspectives provide insight into the strategic rationale behind the transaction, the key decision points along the way, and the level of alignment required to move a complex deal forward.

“For decades, people have asked us, ‘What really happens when a large dealership sells?’” said Mark Johnson, founder and president of MD Johnson, Inc. “They see a press release on closing day, but they never see the months of work, the risk, the emotion, and the problem-solving required to get a transaction across the finish line. This documentary finally opens that door.”

Since its founding, MD Johnson, Inc. has represented sellers in completing billions of dollars in dealership transactions across the United States, with particular depth in high-line luxury franchises and large dealer groups. The firm’s role as sell-side advisor on the Beverly Hills Porsche transaction positioned it uniquely to provide access while maintaining the discipline and confidentiality required in a transaction of this scale.

By focusing on a single landmark transaction in detail, the documentary also serves as an educational resource for dealer principals, their families, and their advisors. It addresses questions that are rarely discussed publicly, including how buyers evaluate opportunities, how valuations are supported in real negotiations, what issues can threaten a closing late in the process, and how experienced advisors navigate the competing interests involved.

“This is not a sales video,” Johnson added. “It’s the kind of film I wish I could have seen before my first major transaction. We wanted to create something that treats dealers as sophisticated entrepreneurs and shows, step by step, what a modern, high-value closing really looks like.”

The documentary depicts in detail, 15 years of planning plus 13 months executing the transaction. This included several weeks onsite executing the pre close and close. Emery, formerly a practicing attorney, emphasized the long-term relationship behind the transaction: “Mark and I worked together for more than 15 years preparing for this outcome. This transaction exists—and ultimately closed—because of that level of preparation and execution. Mark's relationship with Lithia and his staff's knowledge and execution made this deal happen".

Johnson added, “Transactions of this scale only close when there is mutual respect and complete alignment between all parties. That level of trust is built over time, not created during a process.”

Learn what every dealer needs to know before engaging an advisor. http://mdjohnsoninc.com/advisor.



About MD Johnson, Inc.

MD Johnson, Inc. is a sell-side advisory firm representing automotive dealership owners in the valuation, marketing, sale, and closing of franchised dealerships and related real estate assets. Over the past 25 years, the firm has created billions of dollars in completed transactions, with a consistent focus on execution, discipline, and protecting the interests of sellers and their families.

Mark Johnson
MD Johnson Inc
+1 833-516-4806
info@mdjohnsoninc.com
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