FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES
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OMB APPROVAL
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OMB Number: 3235-0104
Expires: September 30, 1998
Estimated average burden
hours per response.........0.5
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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(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
(Print or Type Responses)
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Benton, William P.
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(Last) (First) (Middle)
Parklane Towers West, Suite 1610
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(Street)
3 Parklane Blvd.
Dearborn MI 48126
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(City) (State) (Zip)
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2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
12/11/97
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3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
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4. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Sonic Automotive, Inc. (SAH)
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5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
--- 10% Owner
_X_ Director
--- Officer (give title below)
--- Other (specify below)
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6. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)
_______________________________________________________________________________
7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
X Form filed by One Reporting Person
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--- Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TABLE I--Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
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1. 2. 3. 4.
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Ownership
Title of Amount of Securities Form: Direct Nature of Indirect
Security Beneficially Owned (D) or Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4) (Instr. 4) (I) (Instr. 5) (Instr. 5)
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<S> <C> <C> <C>
None
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</TABLE>
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially
owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see
Instruction 5(b)(v).
(Over)
SEC 1473 (9-96)
<PAGE>
FORM 3 (continued)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TABLE II--Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
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Date Exer- Title and
Amount of Ownership
cisable and Securities Form of
Underlying Deriv-
Expiration Derivative ative
Date (Month/ Security Conver- Security:
Day/Year) (Instr. 4) sion or Direct
-------------- -------------- Exercise (D) or Nature of
Title of Date Amount Price of Indirect Indirect
Derivative Exer- Expir- or Num- Deriv- (I) Beneficial
Security cis- ation ber of ative (Instr. Ownership
(Instr. 4) able Date Title Shares Security 5) (Instr. 5)
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
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None
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</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses:
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/s/ William P. Benton 1/9/98
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** Signature of Reporting Person Date
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal
Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information
contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays
a currently valid OMB Number.
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SEC 1473 (9-96)
