What NorthStar Ford does

NorthStar Ford is an independently operated, authorized Ford franchised dealership headquartered at 1420 Miller Trunk Hwy in Duluth, Minnesota. It sells new Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers, and commercial vehicles, and also offers used and certified pre‑owned vehicles, including non‑Ford brands. Its service and parts operation provides maintenance, tires, brakes, batteries, transmission service, and OEM/Motorcraft parts, supplemented by Quick Lane, Ford Pickup & Delivery, and Mobile Service.

The dealership generates revenue through vehicle gross profit on new and used sales, manufacturer incentives and holdbacks, used‑vehicle acquisition and reconditioning, service and parts fees, and transaction‑based finance, lease, warranty, and protection products such as GAP and extended service contracts. Pricing is transaction‑based; MSRP is adjusted by manufacturer incentives, taxes, title fees, and optional equipment, and financing terms vary by customer qualification. The business model combines a physical showroom with a digital channel that supports inventory browsing, test‑drive scheduling, credit applications, trade‑in valuation, payment calculation, and service scheduling.

Technology in the vehicles is supplied by Ford, not developed by NorthStar; the lineup includes Ford SYNC 4, Ford Co‑Pilot360, FordPass Connect with a 4G LTE Wi‑Fi hotspot, and integrations such as Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, CARFAX, and AutoCheck. The dealership does not disclose any proprietary AI, software platform, or data assets, and the company is privately held with no parent or institutional investor disclosed.

Name

NorthStar Ford

Legal name

NorthStar Ford

Website

https://northstarfordduluth.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

NorthStar Ford is a private, authorized Ford dealership in Duluth, Minnesota, selling new and used vehicles, service, parts, and financing to individual and commercial customers through physical and online channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Automotive Dealership

NAICS

New Car Dealers (44111), Used Car Dealers (441120), Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers (4413)

SIC

Retail-Auto Dealers & Gasoline Stations (5500)

akta.pro primary industry

Tire & Wheel Services (Mount/Balance/Alignment) (TLAKAAAD)

Keywords

• New vehicle sales
• Used vehicle sales
• Automotive service
• Auto parts retail
• Vehicle financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. New Vehicle Sales: Sales of new Ford vehicles including trucks (F-150, Super Duty F-250, F-350), SUVs (Explorer, Expedition, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Escape), crossovers, and performance cars (Mustang, Mustang Mach-E). Revenue generated from the difference between invoice and selling price, plus manufacturer incentives and holdbacks.
2. Pre-owned Vehicle Sales: Sales of certified pre-owned and used vehicles. Includes vehicles under 15k, vehicles under 50k miles, and Carfax 1-owner vehicles. Revenue from vehicle acquisition, reconditioning, and resale.
3. Service and Parts: Vehicle maintenance and repair services including oil changes, tire services, brake services, battery service, and general maintenance. Parts sales including Ford OEM parts, Motorcraft parts, and accessories. Includes Quick Lane service center for routine maintenance.
4. Finance and Insurance Products: Vehicle financing arrangements through Ford Credit and other lenders. Extended service contracts, GAP coverage, and other F&I products sold at point of vehicle purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NorthStar Ford is an authorized Ford franchised dealership that sells new Ford vehicles, certified pre-owned and used vehicles, and operates a service and parts department. The dealership also provides vehicle financing through Ford Credit and other lenders, extended service contracts, and Quick Lane tire and auto center services for routine maintenance. Customers in the Duluth/Northland region can purchase, finance, trade-in, and service Ford vehicles through both in-person showroom interactions and online tools.

Product overview

NorthStar Ford operates as a full-service Ford automobile dealership offering new Ford vehicles, pre-owned vehicles, and certified pre-owned vehicles alongside comprehensive service and parts operations. The product portfolio centers on Ford's complete vehicle lineup including trucks (F-150, Super Duty F-250/F-350/F-450), SUVs (Explorer, Expedition, Bronco, Bronco Sport, Escape, Edge), sports cars (Mustang, Mustang Mach-E), compact trucks (Maverick, Ranger), and commercial vans (Transit). Supporting offerings include an in-house finance department, FordPass connected services, Ford Protection extended warranty plans, and a Quick Lane tire and auto service center. The dealership serves retail customers, families, and commercial buyers in the Duluth, Minnesota region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Ford Vehicles Full line of new Ford automobiles including cars, trucks (F-150, Super Duty F-250/F-350/F-450, Ranger, Maverick), SUVs (Bronco, Bronco Sport, Explorer, Expedition, Escape, Edge), crossovers, performance vehicles (Mustang, Mustang Mach-E), and commercial vans (Transit), sold to retail and commercial buyers in the Duluth, MN market area.
• Pre-Owned Vehicles Selection of used vehicles including Ford models and other brands such as Chevrolet, Honda, Jeep, Kia, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen, RAM, Cadillac, Scion, Volvo, Chrysler, and Hyundai, marketed across price points and mileage tiers to Northland consumers.
• Certified Pre-Owned Ford Vehicles Ford CPO program providing thoroughly inspected used Ford vehicles with extended warranty coverage, roadside assistance, and vehicle history reports for added buyer peace of mind.
• Service & Parts Department Full-service automotive maintenance and repair facility offering oil changes, brake service, battery service, tire care, transmission service, and multi-point inspections using Ford and Motorcraft OEM parts, supported by Ford-trained technicians.
• Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Aftermarket service center offering tire replacement, oil changes, and general automotive maintenance for vehicles of all brands, separate from the main Ford service department.
• Finance Department In-house financing services providing payment calculation, credit applications, lease information, pre-qualification tools, and trade-in valuation, arranging vehicle financing through Ford Credit and other lenders at the point of vehicle purchase.
• Ford Protection Plans Extended warranty and vehicle protection programs including Ford Protect coverage options, extended service contracts, and GAP coverage sold at the point of vehicle purchase to extend manufacturer coverage.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Ford Motor CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNorthStar Ford operates as an authorized Ford dealership franchise, representing Ford Motor Company as a franchised dealer for new Ford vehicles, parts, and service. The dealership sells Ford vehicles sourced from the manufacturer and participates in Ford's dealer program including access to Ford's marketing campaigns, AXZ Plans, and manufacturer incentives.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Asbury Automotive Group: Public franchised dealer group with multi-brand and multi-region exposure plus a significant Clicklane digital retail platform. Comparable business model across sales, service, F&I, and parts, but with brand diversification that limits single-OEM downside versus NorthStar Ford's Ford-only exposure.
• Sonic Automotive: Public franchised dealer group with EchoPark used-vehicle stores alongside traditional franchise dealerships. Comparable because of the parallel franchise-plus-used-car retail model, but at greater scale and with a dedicated used-car brand that competes with independent used operators.
• Penske Automotive Group: Public franchised dealer group with premium-brand concentration (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Porsche) plus commercial truck dealerships. Comparable franchised dealer revenue model but skewed toward luxury where margins and customer profiles differ from a Ford mass-market dealer like NorthStar Ford.
• AutoNation: Largest publicly traded automotive retailer in the US, operating hundreds of franchised dealerships across multiple brands. Comparable because it shares the same franchised-dealer business model (new vehicle, used vehicle, service, parts, F&I), but at vastly greater scale and brand diversification that NorthStar Ford lacks.
• Group 1 Automotive: Public multi-brand franchised dealer group operating in the US and UK. Comparable revenue model (new/used sales, service, F&I) and customer base, though diversified across OEMs and geographies rather than concentrated in a single Ford franchise in one regional market.
• Lithia Motors: Large publicly traded dealer group with a national footprint and aggressive acquisition strategy across OEMs. Comparable as a franchised dealer operating the same revenue streams (new, used, service, F&I, parts), but with geographic and brand diversification that exposes it less to single-OEM risk than NorthStar Ford.

Emerging players

• Carvana: Pure-online used-vehicle retailer with home delivery and vending-machine pickup model. Comparable as a competitor for the dealership's used-vehicle and trade-in customers, particularly digitally native buyers; competes on convenience and price transparency rather than in-person service.
• Vroom: Online used-car retailer offering home delivery and a Texas-based reconditioning hub. Comparable as an emerging competitor to the dealership's pre-owned vehicle business, though operating at significantly smaller scale than CarMax or Carvana.
• CarMax: Largest US used-vehicle retailer with no-haggle pricing, fixed business model, and nationwide footprint. Comparable because it directly competes for the used-vehicle and trade-in demand that NorthStar Ford's pre-owned business relies on, but operates without new-vehicle franchise obligations.

Regional players

• Morrie's Automotive Group: Privately held multi-brand dealer group headquartered in Minnesota with locations across the Twin Cities and surrounding region. Comparable as a regional independent dealer group operating franchised new-vehicle, used, service, and F&I operations in the same upper Midwest geography that NorthStar Ford serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/northstar_ford
• Facebookfacebook.com/NorthStarFord

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NorthStar Ford