Elk Grove Dodge in the Elk Grove Auto Mall has added the Chrysler and Jeep brands as part of Chrysler LLC's national consolidation/restructuring plan to streamline operations.

Scott Lasher, general manager and owner of the dealership at 8575 Laguna Grove Drive, part of the locally based Lasher Auto Group, said an agreement with Chrysler was finalized Monday. New Chrysler and Jeep vehicles are for sale on the lot now.

"We're tickled pink," Lasher said Thursday. "We're excited about more opportunity, more product line and a real shot in the arm. We're extremely pleased to get it done."

Also Thursday, Lasher said the Lasher Auto Group has been granted a Subaru franchise for Elk Grove and plans to build a new dealership between the Elk Grove Dodge Chrysler Jeep store and Lasher's Elk Grove Acura dealership at 8585 Laguna Grove Drive. He said he expects that store to open in 2009.

The Elk Grove Dodge facility was expected to pick up the Chrysler and Jeep brands after nearby Chrysler Jeep of Elk Grove was sold back to Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Chrysler. That lot at 9501 E. Stockton Blvd. stopped selling new Chryslers and Jeeps on Oct. 15, opening the next day as a used-car operation called BarNone SuperCenter of California.

Barry Unowitz, the BarNone general manager who held the same title at Chrysler Jeep of Elk Grove, said the latter dealership was making money but accepted a buyout from Chrysler as part of the automaker's Project Genesis.

Financial terms of the Elk Grove transactions were not disclosed.

Project Genesis is Chrysler's name for the plan to trim its number of dealerships in various U.S. markets and align the Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brands under one roof.

U.S. rivals General Motors and Ford also have nationwide consolidation plans. Both have cut local dealerships this year.

The economic downturn and tight credit have profoundly affected the auto industry in 2008, prompting not only consolidation deals but dealership closings. The Sacramento area has seen about a dozen new-vehicle dealerships close this year.

Lasher said Thursday that his group's stores have been doing comparatively well.

"We ready and rarin' to go," he said.

"Our business has held up well. We're not experiencing layoffs, and we're adding franchises."

Lasher Auto Group also sells the Audi, Volkswagen and Global Electric Motorcars brands in Elk Grove; the Volkswagen brand in Sacramento; and the Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and Pontiac brands in Coalinga.

Lasher's moves close out a busy October in the local auto-retailing marketplace.

Just this month, locally based Maita Automotive Group's Nissan dealership at 1761 Fulton Ave. moved into the vacated Maita Hyundai facilities at 2436 Auburn Blvd. Maita Hyundai closed at the end of September, part of a consolidation deal with Hyundai, which also is trying to reduce its dealerships in U.S. markets.

Hyundai's Sacramento strategy also involved Miami-based Potamkin Automotive taking over Senator Hyundai at 3655 Florin Road in Sacramento from the Senator Auto Group. The store is now Hyundai of Sacramento. Potamkin already operates Roseville Hyundai at 200 N. Sunrise Ave.

Senator Auto Group continues to operate Senator Mazda at 3801 Florin Road, which also houses a used-car lot, body shop and rental operation.

Other local closings this year include Paul Blanco Chevrolet at 3815 Florin Road, new-car sales at Senator Ford at 3801 Florin Road and Winter Volvo Lincoln Mercury at 3805 Florin Road. All three accepted consolidation buyout offers from U.S. automakers.

Great Valley Chrysler Jeep Mazda Isuzu on Fulton Avenue in Sacramento, Elk Grove Ford in the Elk Grove Auto Mall and Maita Ford Mercury in Auburn also shut down this year.

Call The Bee's Mark Glover, (916) 321-1184.