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Sonic Automotive Authorizes Additional Stock Repurchases

20 December 2000

Sonic Automotive Authorizes Additional Stock Repurchases

    CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 20 Sonic Automotive, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors
has authorized the Company to expend up to an additional $25,000,000 to
repurchase outstanding shares of its Class A common stock or redeem securities
convertible into Class A common stock.  Combined with previous authorizations
in November 1999 and February 2000, the Board has now authorized the Company
to expend up to a total of $75,000,000 for stock repurchases.  To date, the
Company has spent approximately $44.7 million in repurchasing shares of
Company stock since November 1999.  Shares of the Company's common stock will
be purchased from time to time in the open market subject to market
conditions.
    Sonic Automotive, Inc. is the second largest automotive retailer in the
United States operating 170 franchises and 31 collision repair centers in
Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio,
Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.  Sonic's revenue run
rate is estimated at over $6 billion for 2000.  The Company has experienced
twelve consecutive quarters of greater than 50% growth in earnings per share.
Sonic can be reached on the web at http://www.sonicautomotive.com .

    Included herein are forward-looking statements, including statements with
respect to the Company's prospects.  There are many factors which affect
management's views about future events and trends of the Company's business.
These factors involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results
or trends to differ materially from management's view, including without
limitation economic conditions, risks associated with acquisitions and the
risk factors set forth from time to time in the Company's recent filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.