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 * CROWLEY WILLIAM C   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AUTONATION, INC. [AN] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 200 GREENWICH AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/29/2011 (Street) GREENWICH, CT 06830 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 $0.01 per share 12/29/2011   J(1)   3,346 (1) A $ 0 (1) 89,545 D (2) (3)   Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share               83,545 I See footnotes (3) (4) Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share               9,151 I See footnotes (3) (5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
CROWLEY WILLIAM C 200 GREENWICH AVENUE GREENWICH, CT 06830	X	X

Signatures

/s/ William C. Crowley		01/03/2011
**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 common stock of AutoNation, Inc. (the "Issuer"), par value $0.01 per share (each, a "Share"), were received in a pro rata distribution from RBS Partners, L.P. ("RBS"), the managing member of ESL Investors, L.L.C. ("Investors"), to its partners, in connection with the termination of RBS's pecuniary interest in the Shares held by Investors.
(2)	These Shares are held directly by William C. Crowley, and include 30,873 Shares that were originally reported as owned indirectly through grantor retained annuity trusts, which distributed the 30,873 Shares on January 3, 2012 to Mr. Crowley.
(3)	This Form 4 is filed on behalf of Mr. Crowley. Mr. Crowley is the President and Chief Operating Officer of ESL Investments, Inc. ("Investments") which together with various of its affiliates beneficially owns securities of the Issuer. Mr. Crowley disclaims beneficial ownership of all securities of the Issuer beneficially owned by Investments.
(4)	These Shares are held by Tynan, LLC, a limited liability company of which Mr. Crowley is the manager and a member.
(5)	These Shares are held in a grantor retained annuity trust, of which Mr. Crowley is the trustee.
Remarks: Pursuant to Rule 16a-1(a)(2)(ii)(B) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Act"), the Reporting Person may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the securities reported herein only to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. Pursuant to Rule 16a-1(a)(4) under the Act, this filing shall not be deemed an admission that the Reporting Person is, for purposes of Section 16 of the Act or otherwise, the beneficial owner of any securities reported herein in excess of such amount.

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