FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES 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(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * SMITH BRYAN SCOTT   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC [SAH] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director __X__ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC., 4401 COLWICK ROAD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 09/27/2018 (Street) CHARLOTTE, NC 28211 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Class B Common Stock

(1)

09/27/2018

S

76,110 (2)

(1)

(1)

Class A Common Stock

76,110

$ 21.44 (3)

0

D

Class B Common Stock

(1)

09/27/2018

S

900,765 (2)

(1)

(1)

Class A Common Stock

900,765

$ 21.44 (3)

0

I

by BWI (4)

Class B Common Stock

(1)

09/27/2018

P

976,875 (2)

(1)

(1)

Class A Common Stock

976,875

$ 21.44 (3)

9,858,125 (5)

I

by SFC

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SMITH BRYAN SCOTT C/O SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC. 4401 COLWICK ROAD CHARLOTTE, NC 28211		X

Signatures

/s/ B. Scott Smith		10/01/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Shares of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class B Common Stock are convertible into shares of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class A Common Stock on a 1-for-1 basis at the option of the reporting person and there is no expiration date.
(2)	The reported securities were transferred in a private, non-market transaction and are held by Sonic Financial Corporation ("SFC"), a North Carolina corporation of which the reporting person is a shareholder.
(3)	Based solely on the average of the closing price of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class A Common Stock for the 30-day trading period ended September 21, 2018, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange.
(4)	The reported securities were held by BWI Financial, LLC ("BWI"), a North Carolina limited liability company of which the reporting person is a member and the sole manager.
(5)	Represents the entire amount of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class B Common Stock held by SFC. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class B Common Stock held by SFC, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

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