Southern Auto Group is owned by Atlantic Coast Automotive, a corporate entity that does business under the Southern Auto Group name across Virginia’s Hampton Roads region. Bill Shepherd founded the group in Chesapeake in 1979, and it now runs roughly 20 franchise dealerships covering 16 automotive brands in Chesapeake, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Newport News.
Clearing Up a Common Misconception
An article circulating online claims that a company called “Cross-Continent Automotive Group” acquired Southern Auto Group and that someone named “Ziggy Hall” serves as owner and president. Neither claim checks out. No business entity by that name appears in public records or industry reporting, and no evidence connects a “Ziggy Hall” to the group’s leadership. The actual corporate parent is Atlantic Coast Automotive. The group’s executive team is listed on its website, though names and titles are not displayed on the public-facing homepage.
How Atlantic Coast Built the Group
Atlantic Coast Automotive expanded substantially through acquisitions over the past several years. In 2021, it purchased two Kia dealerships in Virginia that had previously operated under the Southern Auto Group name.
The larger move came in 2023, when Atlantic Coast acquired seven franchised dealerships in Chesapeake and Newport News from MileOne Autogroup’s Hall division. Those stores had operated as Hall | MileOne Autogroup and included Nissan, Hyundai, Chevrolet, Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram, Acura, and Ford franchises. All of the acquired Hall locations were rebranded under the Southern Auto Group banner.1Virginia Automobile Dealers Association. Virginia Dealer Deal Roundup 2023
That 2023 deal is likely the source of the confusion over the “Hall” name in the ownership question. Hall was the selling party, not the buyer, and the Hall-branded stores no longer exist as such.
What the Group Owns Today
Southern Auto Group carries 16 manufacturer franchises, a mix wide enough to cover economy commuters, luxury vehicles, and heavy-duty trucks. The full lineup:2Southern Auto Group. Southern Auto Group – Dealer in Virginia Beach – Norfolk
- Stellantis brands: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, FIAT, and Alfa Romeo
- General Motors brands: Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC
- Ford
- Asian imports: Acura, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, and Nissan
- Volkswagen
Having Stellantis, GM, and Ford franchises under one corporate roof lets the group cover nearly every segment of the domestic truck and SUV market, while Acura and Alfa Romeo offer a path into the premium tier. The Hyundai, Kia, and Mazda stores handle the bulk of the value-oriented and fuel-efficient inventory.
Where the Dealerships Are Located
Every Southern Auto Group dealership sits within the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of southeastern Virginia. The roughly 20 locations are spread across four cities:3Southern Auto Group. Our Locations – Serving the Virginia Beach – Chesapeake Area
- Chesapeake holds the largest cluster, with stores along South Military Highway in the Greenbrier corridor and on Western Branch Boulevard. Brands here include Buick, GMC, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, and Volkswagen. The group’s collision center is also in Chesapeake.
- Newport News has a string of dealerships along Jefferson Avenue carrying Acura, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Ford, Hyundai, and Mazda.
- Norfolk is home to the Alfa Romeo and FIAT franchise, plus a Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram location on North Military Highway.
- Virginia Beach has Buick-GMC and Kia dealerships on Virginia Beach Boulevard.
Despite claims found in some older write-ups, the group does not currently operate a location in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. That store does not appear on Southern Auto Group’s dealership directory. Everything the company owns today is in Virginia, concentrated in a metropolitan area of roughly 1.8 million people with a large active-duty military community and no competing dealer group offering the same brand diversity nearby.