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Derivative Instruments and Risk Management Activities (Details Textual) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Notional amount of interest rate swaps entered into during current year	$ 113,000,000gpi_Notionalamountofinterestrateswapsenteredintoduringcurrentyear
Floorplan interest expense	41,614,000gpi_FloorPlanInterestExpense	41,667,000gpi_FloorPlanInterestExpense	31,796,000gpi_FloorPlanInterestExpense
Fair value of derivative financial instruments included in balance sheet as liabilities from interest risk management activities	28,653,000us-gaap_InterestRateDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue	26,078,000us-gaap_InterestRateDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
Interest Rate Derivative Assets, at Fair Value		3,919,000us-gaap_InterestRateDerivativeAssetsAtFairValue
Notional amount	563,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount	450,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Maximum Notional Amount Of Derivatives In Effect At Any Time	761,000,000gpi_MaximumNotionalAmountOfDerivativesInEffectAtAnyTime
Interest rate hedges weighted average rate	2.50%gpi_InterestRateCashFlowHedgeWeightedAverageFixedInterestRate
Interest Rate Swaps Latest Expiration	August 2021
Unrealized gain (loss) related to hedges, net of income taxes included in other comprehensive loss	(17,909,000)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax	(13,850,000)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax	(26,931,000)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax	(21,275,000)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax
Amount expected to be reclassified from other comprehensive loss into earnings	12,600,000us-gaap_InterestRateCashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedDuringNext12MonthsNet
Interest rate swap 2015 [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Notional amount	225,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = gpi_Expiresin2015Member
Interest Rate Swaps 2016 [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Notional amount	150,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = gpi_Expiresin2016Domain
Interest Rate Swap 2017 [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Notional amount	175,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = gpi_Expiresin2017Domain
Expires in 2021 [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Notional amount	13,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = gpi_Expiresin2021Member
Interest Rate Swaps Forward Starting [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Notional amount of interest rate swaps entered into during current year	350,000,000gpi_Notionalamountofinterestrateswapsenteredintoduringcurrentyear / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = gpi_InterestRateSwapsForwardStartingMember
Number of additional forward interest rate swaps	15us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = gpi_InterestRateSwapsForwardStartingMember
Notional amount	$ 775,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = gpi_InterestRateSwapsForwardStartingMember
Interest rate hedges weighted average rate	2.80%gpi_InterestRateCashFlowHedgeWeightedAverageFixedInterestRate / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = gpi_InterestRateSwapsForwardStartingMember
Minimum [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps Forward Starting [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Forward swaps start date	August 2015
Forward swaps expiration date	December 2017
Maximum [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps Forward Starting [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Forward swaps start date	January 2018
Forward swaps expiration date	December 2020

X

- Definition

Interest expense incurred on borrowings under the floorplan line of the credit facility and arrangements with vehicle manufacturer affiliates for the financing of specific new, used and rental vehicle inventory. Interest expense also includes the net impact of interest rate swap settlements during the period, which are designed to hedge exposure to variable interest rates.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

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+ References

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- Definition

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- Definition

Weighted average fixed interest rate related to the group of interest rate derivatives.

+ References

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- Definition

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- Definition

Maximum notional amount of derivatives in effect at any time.

+ References

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- Definition

Notional amount of newly entered swaps

+ References

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- Definition

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 12

-Section 13

-Sentence Column B

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- Definition

Accumulated change, net of tax, in accumulated gains and losses from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges. Includes an entity's share of an equity investee's Increase or Decrease in deferred hedging gains or losses.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

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- Definition

The number of derivative instruments of a particular group held by the entity.

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The estimated net amount of unrealized gains or losses on interest rate cash flow hedges as of the balance sheet date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next twelve months.

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- Definition

Fair value as of the balance sheet date of interest rate derivative assets, which includes all such derivative instruments in hedging and nonhedging relationships that are recognized as assets.

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Fair value as of the balance sheet date of interest rate derivative liabilities, which includes all such derivative instruments in hedging and nonhedging relationships that are recognized as liabilities.

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