Sonic Automotive Acquires Additional Luxury Brands in Houston Market

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 26, 2007 -- Sonic Automotive, Inc. , a leader in automotive retailing, announced the acquisition of the Jaguar and Land Rover franchises from PPE Houston, Ltd. in Houston, Texas. This dealership represents approximately $90 million in annual revenues. In addition, we have been awarded an additional open point for both franchises giving us exclusive representation of these prestigious brands in one of the largest automotive markets in America. Including this acquisition, the Houston market represents Sonic's largest platform with total annualized revenues of approximately $1.3 billion.

Jeffrey C. Rachor, the Company's President and Chief Operating Officer, stated, "We are extremely pleased to add these two luxury dealerships to our already strong portfolio of luxury brands in the Houston market. This acquisition is consistent with our portfolio enrichment strategy of acquiring premium brands with stable operations that we can take to the next level of operating performance by implementing our proven best practices. We will continue to target similar acquisition opportunities within our geographical footprint in order to leverage our regional infrastructure."

About Sonic Automotive

Sonic Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 300 company based in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States operating 173 franchises and 37 collision repair centers. Sonic can be reached on the Web at www.sonicautomotive.com.