Sonic Automotive Renews Contract with NewSouth Communications

NewSouth Now Largest Provider of Local Telephone Service to Sonic Automotive Serving 45 Dealerships Across the Southeast

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 28 -- NewSouth Communications, a leading Internet and voice services company, today announced the renewal of telecommunications services for Sonic Automotive . Two years ago, Sonic awarded NewSouth the contract to provide local telephone service to ten of Sonic's automobile dealerships.

"NewSouth impressed the Sonic team with its consultative, hands-on approach. They have proven that they can combine competitive pricing with an extremely well coordinated installation process and excellent customer care," commented Roger Edwards, Director of Telecom for Sonic Automotive.

David Boatman, Chief Information Officer for Sonic, added, "NewSouth was able to impact our bottom line as well as to assist Sonic in taking advantage of digital technology in each of our dealerships. This simply enforces Sonic's strategy of standardizing on preferred vendors that are able to provide consistent service and quality of product."

Since the installation of its initial services with NewSouth in 2001, Sonic has added NewSouth's services to an additional 35 dealerships, with NewSouth now providing local telephone service to 45 Sonic dealerships across the Southeast. NewSouth is now Sonic's largest provider of local phone service in the Southeast.

"We are very excited to have renewed this agreement with Sonic and look forward to continued growth of this partnership. Sonic is an industry leader and we are proud to be associated with such an outstanding company," stated Doug Crocker, Senior Account Executive with NewSouth.

About NewSouth Communications:

NewSouth Communications provides voice and data services to business customers in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana. NewSouth Communications has a fully deployed network and over 220,000 lines in service. For more information, visit www.newsouth.com.

About Sonic Automotive, Inc.

Sonic Automotive, Inc. is an automotive retailer that operated 186 dealership franchises at 139 dealership locations, representing 34 different brands of cars and light trucks, and operated 45 collision repair centers in 15 states, as of March 11, 2003. Each of the Company's dealerships provides comprehensive services, including sales of both new and used cars and light trucks, sales of replacement parts and performance of vehicle maintenance, warranty, paint and repair services and arrangement of extended warranty contracts and financing and insurance for its automotive customers. During 2002, the Company acquired 31 dealerships representing 44 franchises, and disposed of nine dealerships representing 16 franchises. For more information, visit www.sonicautomotive.com.