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FORM 5 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OMB APPROVAL
CHECK BOX IF NO LONGER WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 OMB NUMBER 3235-0362
SUBJECT TO SECTION 16. FORM 4 ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP EXPIRES: SEPTEMBER 30, 1998
OR FORM 5 OBLIGATIONS MAY ESTIMATED AVERAGE BURDEN
CONTINUE. SEE INSTRUCTION 1(B). HOURS PER RESPONSE.....1.0
FORM 3 HOLDINGS REPORTED Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act
FORM 4 TRANSACTIONS REPORTED 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
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* 2. Issuer Name AND Ticker or 6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
Trading Symbol (Check all applicable)
___X__ Director ___X__10% Owner
___X__ Officer _______ Other
(give title below) (specify below)
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Smith, Ollen Bruton Sonic Automotive, Inc. ("SAH")
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(Last) (First) (Middle) 3. IRS 4. Statement
or Social for
Security Month/Year
Number of
Reporting
Person,
(Voluntary)
5401 E. Independence Blvd. 12/98
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(Street) 5. If 7. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting (Check Applicable
Amendment, Line)
Date of _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
Original ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(Month/Year)
Charlotte, NC 28212
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(City) (State) (Zip) TABLE I-- NON-DERIVATIVE SECURITIES ACQUIRED, DISPOSED OF, OR BENEFICIALLY OWNED
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Amount of Owner-
Securities ship
Trans- Trans- Securities Acquired (A) Beneficially Form:
action action or Disposed of (D) Owned at Direct Nature of
Date Code (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) End of (D) or Indirect
Title of (Month/ (Instr. 8) ---------------------------- Issuer's Indirect Beneficial
Security Day/ ---------- Amount (A) or Price Fiscal Year (I) Ownership
(Instr. 3) Year) (D) (Instr. (Instr. 4) (Instr. 4)
3 and 4)
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(Over)
SEC 2270 (9-96)
*If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction
4(b)(v).
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FORM 5 (CONTINUED) TABLE II -- DERIVATIVE SECURITIES
ACQUIRED, DISPOSED OF, OR BENEFICIALLY OWNED
(E.G., PUTS, CALLS, WARRANTS, OPTIONS, CONVERTIBLE
SECURITIES)
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
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Title and Ownership
Number of Date Exer- Amount of of
Derivative cisable and Underlying Number of Deriv-
Securities Expiration Securities Price Derivative ative
Conver- Trans- Acquired (A) Date (Month/ (Instr. 3 of Securities Security:
sion or Trans- action or Disposed Day/Year) and 4) Deriv- Benefi- Direct
Exercise action Code of (D) -------------- -------------- ative cially (D) or Nature of
Title of Price of Date (Instr. (Instr. 3, Date Amount Secur- Owned at Indirect Indirect
Derivative Deriv- (Month/ 8) 4 and 5) Exer- Expir- or Num- ity End of (I) Beneficial
Security ative Day/ -------- ---------- cis- ation ber of (Instr. Year (Instr. Ownership
(Instr. 3) Security Year) (A) (D) able Date Title Shares 5) (Instr. 4) 4) (Instr. 4)
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<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Class A
Options to 200,000 Common 200,000
purchase $9.19 (1) 10/6/98 A (1) (2) 10/6/08 Stock (1) $9.19 (1) 200,000 D
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Explanation of Responses:
(1) On October 6, 1998, Sonic Automotive, Inc. ("Sonic") granted Mr. Smith options to purchase 100,000 shares of Class A common
stock at an exercise price of $18.38 per share pursuant to the Sonic 1997 Stock Option Plan (the "Plan"). On January 25, 1999,
Sonic effected a 2-for-1 split of its Class A common stock (the "Stock Split"). In connection with the Stock Split, and pursuant
to the terms of the Plan, Mr. Smith's options were adjusted to options to purchase 200,000 shares of Class A common stock at an
exercise price of $9.19 per share.
(2) The options reported above are exercisable beginning on April 6, 1999, subject to stockholder approval of an increase in the
number of option shares available for issuance under the Plan.
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of /s/ O. Bruton Smith April 7, 1999
facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. -------------------------------- ---------------
SEE 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a) ** Signature of Reporting Person Date
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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