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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934*
AutoNation, Inc.
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(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
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(Title of Class of Securities)
05329W102
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(CUSIP Number)
August 10, 2000
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(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed: [ ] Rule 13d-1(b)
[X] Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)
* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications:
Janice V. Sharry, Esq.
Haynes and Boone, LLP
901 Main Street, Suite 3100
Dallas, Texas 75202
(214) 651-5562
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SCHEDULE 13G
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CUSIP No. - 05329W102 Page 2 of 9 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
ESL Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
22-2875193
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [X]
(b) [ ]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OR ORGANIZATION
Delaware
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5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES 16,157,906
BENEFICIALLY -----------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING 0
PERSON -----------------------------------------------
WITH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
16,157,906
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8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
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9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
25,366,100
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10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES [ ]
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11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
7.02%
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12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
PN
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<PAGE> 3
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CUSIP No. - 05329W102 Page 3 of 9 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
ESL Limited, a Bermuda corporation
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [X]
(b) [ ]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OR ORGANIZATION
Bermuda
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5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES 3,834,499
BENEFICIALLY -----------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING 0
PERSON -----------------------------------------------
WITH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
3,834,499
-----------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
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9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
25,366,100
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES [ ]
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11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
7.02%
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12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
CO
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CUSIP No. - 05329W102 Page 4 of 9 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
ESL Institutional Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited
partnership 06-1456821
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [X]
(b) [ ]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OR ORGANIZATION
Delaware
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5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES 383,910
BENEFICIALLY -----------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING 0
PERSON -----------------------------------------------
WITH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
383,910
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8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
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9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
25,366,100
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES [ ]
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11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
7.02%
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12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
PN
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CUSIP No. - 05329W102 Page 5 of 9 Pages
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1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (ENTITIES ONLY)
ESL Investors, L.L.C.
13-4095958
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2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [X]
(b) [ ]
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3 SEC USE ONLY
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4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OR ORGANIZATION
Delaware
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5 SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF
SHARES 4,989,785
BENEFICIALLY -----------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 6 SHARED VOTING POWER
EACH
REPORTING 0
PERSON -----------------------------------------------
WITH 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
4,989,785
-----------------------------------------------
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
0
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9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
25,366,100
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10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES [ ]
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11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
7.02%
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12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
OO
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Page 6 of 9 Pages
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Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:
AutoNation, Inc.
Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
110 S.E. 6th Street
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
Item 2(a) Names of Persons Filing:
ESL Partners, L.P.
ESL Limited
ESL Institutional Partners, L.P.
ESL Investors, L.L.C.
Item 2(b) Addresses of Principal Business Offices:
ESL Partners, L.P., ESL Institutional Partners, L.P., and ESL
Investors, L.L.C.:
One Lafayette Place
Greenwich, CT 06830
ESL Limited
Hemisphere House
9 Church Street
Hamilton, Bermuda
Item 2(c) Citizenship:
ESL Partners, L.P. -- Delaware
ESL Limited -- Bermuda
ESL Institutional Partners, L.P. -- Delaware
ESL Investors, L.L.C. -- Delaware
Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock, par value $.01 per share
Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:
05329W102
<PAGE> 7
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Page 7 of 9 Pages
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Item 3 Status of Persons Filing:
(a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act (15
U.S.C. 78o);
(b) [ ] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C.
78c);
(c) [ ] Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act
(15 U.S.C. 78c);
(d) [ ] Investment company registered under section 8 of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8);
(e) [ ] An investment adviser in accordance with Section
240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);
(f) [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with
Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
(g) [ ] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with
Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
(h) [ ] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
(i) [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);
(j) [ ] Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
Item 4 Ownership:
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned: 25,366,100 shares of Common Stock, par
value $.01 per share.
This statement is filed on behalf of a group consisting of ESL
Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("ESL"), ESL
Limited, a Bermuda corporation ("Limited"), ESL Institutional
Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership ("Institutional"),
and ESL Investors, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company
("Investors") sometimes referred to collectively as the "ESL
Reporting Group." The general partner of ESL is RBS Partners,
L.P. (the "General Partner"). The general partner of the General
Partner of ESL is ESL Investments, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
ESL Investment Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company ("ESLIM"), is the investment manager of Limited. RBS
Investment Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
("RBSIM") is the general partner of Institutional. RBS Partners,
L.P. is the manager of Investors. In the aforementioned
capacities, ESL, Limited, Institutional, and Investors each may
be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares of AutoNation,
Inc. common stock beneficially owned by the other members of the
group.
As of August 21, 2000: (i) ESL was the record owner of 16,157,906
shares of common stock of AutoNation, Inc.; (ii) Limited was the
record owner of 3,834,499 shares of common stock of AutoNation,
Inc.; (iii) Institutional was the record owner of 383,910 shares
of common stock of AutoNation, Inc.; and (iv) Investors was the
record owner of 4,989,785 shares of common stock of AutoNation,
Inc.
(b) Percent of Class: 7.02%.
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Page 8 of 9 Pages
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(c) Number of shares as to which each person has:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
See Item 5 of each cover page.
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 0.
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
See Item 7 of each cover page.
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
0.
Item 5 Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class:
Not applicable.
Item 6 Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person:
Not applicable.
Item 7 Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
Company:
Not applicable
Item 8 Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
See Item 4(a).
Item 9 Notice of Dissolution of Group:
Not applicable
Item 10 Certification:
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and
are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or
influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were
not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a
participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.
<PAGE> 9
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Page 9 of 9 Pages
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SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.
Date: August 21, 2000
ESL PARTNERS, L.P.
By: RBS Partners, L.P., its general partner
By: ESL Investments, Inc., its general
partner
By: /s/ EDWARD S. LAMPERT
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Edward S. Lampert
Chairman
ESL LIMITED
By: ESL Investment Management, LLC, its
investment manager
By: /s/ EDWARD S. LAMPERT
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Edward S. Lampert
Managing Member
ESL INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS, L.P.
By: RBS Investment Management, LLC, its
general partner
By: /s/ EDWARD S. LAMPERT
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Edward S. Lampert
Managing Member
ESL INVESTORS, L.L.C.
By: RBS Partners, L.P., its manager
By: ESL Investments, Inc., its general
partner
By: /s/ EDWARD S. LAMPERT
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Edward S. Lampert
Chairman
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EXHIBITS
Exhibit 1 Joint Filing Agreement, dated as of August 21, 2000, entered into
by and among ESL Partners, L.P., ESL Limited, ESL Institutional
Partners, L.P., and ESL Investors, L.L.C.
