Autobahn Fort Worth has officially completed its acquisition of Frank Kent Motor Co.’s Cadillac dealerships in Fort Worth and Arlington, bringing together two giants among North Texas’ family-owned automotive businesses.
Autobahn, a fixture in Fort Worth’s luxury automotive market for more than 45 years, now carries forward Frank Kent’s nearly century-long legacy of excellence.
“This is more than a business transaction — it’s a joining of forces between two companies who value people above all,” said Brendan Harrington, president of Autobahn, in a statement. “Together, we’re building on legacies of trust while investing in the future of Fort Worth, Arlington, and the customers we proudly serve.”
The Cadillac dealerships will continue operating at their current locations.
Autobahn is retaining the Frank Kent name and brand. Frank Kent co-owner Will Churchill said in July that the parties had agreed on a sale, at the time contingent on manufacturer approval.
Autobahn company officials are stressing that customers can expect a “seamless transition” with no disruption in service, but with expanded offerings and innovation in sales and support.
For Autobahn, the acquisition broadens its reach and enhances its ability to serve the region with a comprehensive lineup of luxury brands. Customers will gain access to a wider portfolio that now includes Cadillac, BMW, Porsche, Land Rover, Volvo, Volkswagen, and MINI.
Coinciding with the acquisition, Autobahn is preparing to break ground on a new 75-acre “best-in-Texas” campus in southwest Fort Worth, near Oakmont Boulevard and Chisholm Trail Parkway. The land, acquired from Clearfork developer Cassco, will become home to an expanded facility set to open in spring 2027.
This major investment underscores Autobahn’s long-term commitment to innovation, service excellence, and community impact.
“We are here to serve — not just by selling vehicles, but by investing in the neighborhoods we call home,” said Harrington. “This is a win for customers, employees, and the entire community.”
As Autobahn and Frank Kent Cadillac officially unite, the partnership represents both a continuation of tradition and a forward-looking step into the future of luxury automotive service in Fort Worth.
That’s the way Frank D. Kent did when he launched the Frank Kent Company in 1935, representing Ford and Lincoln Mercury.
In 1939, Kent relocated his growing dealership from West 7th Street to a prominent new facility at Main and Lancaster, a bustling intersection in the heart of downtown Fort Worth. Then in 1953, he made a bold pivot: Kent secured the prestigious Cadillac franchise and relinquished the Ford line, aligning his brand with the pinnacle of American automotive luxury in a move that would define the dealership’s identity for generations.
As chairman, Kent, along with then-President John Ludington, relocated the dealership to the Benbrook Traffic Circle after the Texas Department of Transportation planned to take three acres off the Frank Kent lot to widen the Interstate 30 overpass, which then ran through downtown over Lancaster.
That showroom, all but deserted except for almost 60 Cadillacs, blew up in a natural gas explosion in March 1986.
Wendy Churchill, Kent’s granddaughter, became CEO in 1995. Will Churchill and his sister, Corrie Watson, took over upon the death of their mother in 2005.