Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
PARHAM JOSEPH G JR
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ASBURY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP INC [ABG]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
VP, Chief HR Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O ASBURY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC., 2905 PREMIERE PKWY NW, SUITE 300
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/13/2012
(Street)

DULUTH, GA 30097
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common stock, par value $.01 per share 03/13/2012   A   2,900 (1) A $ 0 36,534 D  
Common stock, par value $.01 per share 03/13/2012   F   942 D $ 0 35,592 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Performance Share (2) 03/13/2012   A     5,800   (2)   (2) Common stock, par value $.01 per share 5,800 $ 0 14,734 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
PARHAM JOSEPH G JR
C/O ASBURY AUTOMOTIVE GROUP, INC.
2905 PREMIERE PKWY NW, SUITE 300
DULUTH, GA 30097
      VP, Chief HR Officer  

Signatures

 Darlene Quashie, Attorney-in-Fact   03/15/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) These shares of the Issuer's common stock were awarded by the Issuer to the Reporting Person as settlement of certain performance shares that were granted for the performance period of fiscal year 2011 (the "2011 Period"). Each performance share converts into one share of the Issuer's common stock and the vesting of such performance shares are contingent upon the Issuer meeting certain performance objectives over the 2011 Period. The Issuer achieved 100% of its targeted performance goals for the 2011 Period and thus awarded the Reported Person 8,700 shares of its common stock, representing 100% of the targeted amount. One-third of these performance shares vested as of the grant date, with the remaining two-thirds of the shares vesting on the second and third anniversaries of the grant date.
(2) Each performance share represents a contingent right to receive a share of the Issuer's common stock based on the Issuer's performance during the 2011 Period and the award granted to the Reporting Person as a result of such performance. In order for the Reporting Person to receive these performance shares on the second and third anniversaries of the grant date, the Reporting Person must be an employee of the Issuer on such dates.

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