Groupe Bernard
Groupe Bernard is a family-owned French automotive and commercial-vehicle dealer group operating 120 establishments across eastern France, distributing 16 passenger-car brands and 3 heavy-truck brands, and generating €2B in 2024 revenue from vehicle sales, servicing, and Hertz rental.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1924
- HeadquartersBourg-en-bresse, France
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Groupe Bernard does
Groupe Bernard is a privately held, family-owned French automotive and commercial vehicle distribution group headquartered in Bourg-en-Bresse (Ain), founded approximately 100 years ago and operated continuously by the Bernard family. The group runs 120 physical establishments — 80 automotive concessionnaires and 33 heavy-truck concessionnaires — concentrated in eastern France across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Grand Est, and Hauts-de-France regions. Its revenue reached €2 billion in 2024 on the strength of new and used passenger vehicle sales, heavy truck sales, after-sales workshop activity (1 million workshop hours in 2024), spare parts, and Hertz-branded rental services.
The group's product portfolio spans 16 automotive brands — including Renault, Dacia, Alpine, Nissan, Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Fiat, Abarth, Mercedes-Benz, Smart, and the Chinese EV brands Leapmotor, MG, and OMODA/JAECOO — plus three heavy-truck brands (Renault Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Clovis) and Iveco Bus for public transport. The model is a multi-brand authorized dealership franchise: revenue is generated primarily through one-time vehicle sales (new and used), recurring workshop service revenue, parts distribution, and rental fees via Hertz. The group operates used-vehicle sales through its Autobernard sub-brand and heavy-truck activities through Bernard Trucks, with supporting services under Fispar.
The business is a classic channel-partner go-to-market with no proprietary technology, no direct online sales, and no disclosed AI/ML capabilities. Distribution is the core asset — physical proximity to customers across eastern France, OEM franchise rights spanning mass-market to premium and now EV, and an integrated service ecosystem that captures revenue across the vehicle lifecycle. The structure is wholly family-controlled with no external investors, no parent company, and no public listing.
Groupe Bernard firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Groupe Bernard
- Legal name
- GROUPE BERNARD
- Website
- https://groupe-bernard.fr
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1924
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Groupe Bernard is a family-owned French automotive and commercial-vehicle dealer group operating 120 establishments across eastern France, distributing 16 passenger-car brands and 3 heavy-truck brands, and generating €2B in 2024 revenue from vehicle sales, servicing, and Hertz rental.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Groupe Bernard is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bourg-en-bresse
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
Groupe Bernard business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Automotive vehicle sales: Sale of new and used passenger vehicles through dealership network representing multiple automotive brands
- Heavy truck/industrial vehicle sales: Sale of new and used commercial vehicles and heavy trucks through specialized concessionnaires
- After-sales services: Vehicle maintenance, repair services, and spare parts sales through workshop operations - 1M workshop hours recorded in 2024
- Vehicle rental: Vehicle rental services through Hertz agency network
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Groupe Bernard product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Groupe Bernard operates a multi-brand automotive and commercial vehicle dealership network across eastern France, selling new passenger vehicles (16 brands), new heavy trucks and buses (3 truck brands plus Iveco Bus), and used vehicles. The group complements vehicle sales with after-sales maintenance and repair services (1 million workshop hours in 2024), spare parts supply, and short-term vehicle rental operated under the Hertz franchise brand across 120 establishments.
Product overview
Groupe Bernard is a family-owned automotive and commercial vehicle distribution group operating a multi-brand dealership network. The company offers passenger vehicles through 16 automotive brands (Renault, Dacia, Alpine, Nissan, Autobernard, Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Fiat, Abarth, Leapmotor, MG, OMODA/JAECOO, Mercedes-Benz, Smart) and commercial vehicles through 3 truck brands (Renault Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Clovis) plus Iveco Bus for public transport. The group also operates vehicle rental services under the Hertz brand. The portfolio includes new vehicle sales, used vehicle sales (30,000 units in 2024), and workshop services (1 million workshop hours in 2024) across 80 automotive and 33 truck concessions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Autobernard: Used vehicle sales brand operating under groupe-bernard.fr and autobernard.com
- Bernard Trucks
Products and services
- New passenger vehicle sales
Companies that use Groupe Bernard
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Groupe Bernard technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Groupe Bernard partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Renault GroupcoreMajor automotive brand represented through dealership network; includes Renault, Dacia, and Alpine brands
- StellantiscoreRepresents Peugeot, Citroën, and DS Automobiles brands through dealership network
- Mercedes-Benz GroupcoreRepresents Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles, Smart, and Mercedes-Benz Trucks through separate dealer networks
- Stellantis (Fiat/Abarth)majorRepresents Fiat and Abarth brands through dealership network
- NissanmajorRepresents Nissan brand through automotive dealer network
- IvecomajorRepresents Iveco Bus brand for commercial bus and coach sales through heavy truck network
- HertzmajorOperates vehicle rental locations under Hertz franchise brand within group establishments
- MG MotorminorRepresents MG brand for electric and hybrid vehicles through dealer network
- LeapmotorminorRepresents Leapmotor brand (Chinese EV manufacturer) through dealer network
- OMODA/JAECOOminorRepresents OMODA and JAECOO brands (Chery sub-brands) through dealer network
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Groupe Bernard competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Auto1 Group SE: European online used-car platform with brand and remarketing operations; emerging competitor to Bernard's 30,000-unit/year Autobernard used-vehicle business via a digital-first model.
- Stellantis &You: Captive retail network of Stellantis brands (Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Fiat, Opel, etc.); overlaps directly with Bernard's Stellantis-franchised sites but operates under OEM control.
- Renault Retail Group: OEM-captive dealer network selling Renault, Dacia, and Alpine at company-owned sites; competitor for the same franchises Bernard represents, but structurally constrained by single-OEM ownership.
Direct peers
- Groupe Dubreuil: French family-controlled automotive distribution and services group with multi-brand dealerships and ancillary activities — directly comparable family-owned multi-brand French dealer peer.
- Groupe Parot: French multi-brand automotive dealer group operating across multiple regions with a mix of new vehicle, used vehicle, and after-sales activities — directly comparable in scale, model, and customer base to Groupe Bernard.
- Groupe GCA: French Toyota and Lexus dealer group with a regional multi-site retail network and integrated after-sales; closest French peer in terms of brand-portfolio-led regional dealer model.
- Emil Frey France: French subsidiary of Swiss Emil Frey Group, operating a multi-brand premium-leaning dealer network in France — direct competitor for the same OEM franchises (Mercedes, BMW, etc.) in overlapping French regions.
Broad incumbents
- Inchcape plc: London-listed global automotive distributor with multi-brand retail operations across multiple markets; comparable business model but operates at significantly larger scale and across geographies.
- D'Ieteren Group: Belgian-listed automotive distribution and services group encompassing a large dealer network across Belgium and beyond; comparable in operating model but materially larger and broader in scope.
- Hedin Mobility Group: Large European multi-brand automotive dealer group with operations in several countries; comparable multi-brand dealer model but geographically focused on the Nordics rather than France.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Groupe Bernard social profiles
Digital presenceGroupe Bernard financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Groupe Bernard leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Groupe Bernard subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Groupe Bernard funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Groupe Bernard M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Groupe Bernard
What does Groupe Bernard do?
Groupe Bernard operates a multi-brand automotive and commercial vehicle dealership network across eastern France, selling new passenger vehicles (16 brands), new heavy trucks and buses (3 truck brands plus Iveco Bus), and used vehicles. The group complements vehicle sales with after-sales maintenance and repair services (1 million workshop hours in 2024), spare parts supply, and short-term vehicle rental operated under the Hertz franchise brand across 120 establishments.
Is Groupe Bernard a public or private company?
Groupe Bernard is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Groupe Bernard founded?
Groupe Bernard was founded in 1924. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Groupe Bernard based?
Groupe Bernard is headquartered in Bourg-en-bresse, France, in the Europe region.
How does Groupe Bernard make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Automotive vehicle sales are the primary driver. The others are heavy truck/industrial vehicle sales, after-sales services and vehicle rental.
Who are Groupe Bernard's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Auto1 Group SE, Stellantis &You and Renault Retail Group. Direct peers are Groupe Dubreuil, Groupe Parot, Groupe GCA and Emil Frey France. Broad incumbents are Inchcape plc, D'Ieteren Group and Hedin Mobility Group.
Does Groupe Bernard have an API?
No public API is recorded for Groupe Bernard.