{{short description|American automotive retailing company}} {{more citations needed|date=March 2014}} {{Infobox company | name = Sonic Automotive, Inc. | logo = Sonic Automotive logo.png | type = [[Public company|Public]] | traded_as = {{ubl|{{NYSE|SAH}} (Class A)|[[S&P 600]] component}} | industry = [[Automotive]] | foundation = January 1, 1997 | founder = [[Bruton Smith|Ollen Bruton Smith]] | location_city = [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], U.S. | key_people = {{unbulleted list||David Smith ([[Chairman of the Board]]) ([[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]])<ref name="Sonic-ExecTeam">{{cite web |url=http://www.sonicautomotive.com/executive-team.htm |title=Executive Team &#124; Sonic Automotive |work=sonicautomotive.com |date=March 17, 2014 <!-- No date available; last modification date used. --> |access-date=March 17, 2014 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318050803/http://www.sonicautomotive.com/executive-team.htm |archive-date=March 18, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>|Jeff Dyke ([[President (corporate title)|President]])<ref name="Sonic-ExecTeam"/>|Heath Byrd ([[Chief Financial Officer|CFO]])<ref name="Sonic-ExecTeam"/>}} | num_employees = 10,200<ref>{{Cite web|title=SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC. FORM 10-K|url=https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1043509/000104350922000004/sah-20211231.htm|website=SEC|language=en-US|access-date=2022-09-08}}</ref> | num_employees_year = 2021 | subsid = [[EchoPark Automotive]] | homepage = {{URL|ir.sonicautomotive.com}} }}

'''Sonic Automotive''' is a [[Fortune 500]] company based in [[Charlotte, North Carolina]], and is the fifth largest automotive retailer in the United States as measured by total revenues.<ref>{{cite web |title=Automotive News Top 150 Dealership Groups 2022 |url=https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/crain/an3245837562PLINN_supp/index.php?CSAuthResp=1662651214239%3A0%3A489852%3A20957%3A24%3Asuccess%3A18B8AD03CDF8C387A0CBAE561D968F80&CSAuthToken=489852%7C1662651514239%7C20F74F1B61B27927A22AE54E49DDD6CB#/p/Intro |access-date=April 4, 2022 |website=autonews.com |publisher=Crain Communications}}</ref> The company was founded by [[Bruton Smith|O Bruton Smith]] and completed its initial public offering on the NYSE in 1997.

Sonic Automotive operates in 24 states with more than 100 [[dealerships]] representing over 25 different brands of [[automobiles]]. The [[Car dealership|dealerships]] market new and used cars, replacement parts and vehicle maintenance, as well as collision repair services.<ref name="sonicautomotive.com">{{cite web |last= |first= |title=About Sonic Automotive |url=https://ir.sonicautomotive.com/company-information |publisher=}}</ref>

==History== Sonic Automotive was launched as a public company in November 1997 by [[Bruton Smith|O Bruton Smith]]. At the time, the company had 20 stores, representing 15 brands and several hundred employees.<ref name="sonicautomotive.com"/> The Smith family holds over 30% of the total shares outstanding but has over 80% of the voting power<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sonic Automotive Definitive Proxy Statement |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1043509/000104350922000005/def14aproxy2022.htm |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=www.sec.gov}}</ref> because of a [[Share class|dual-class structure]] with [[Super-voting stock]].

Sonic ranked 300th on the 2022 [[Fortune 500]] list.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://fortune.com/company/sonic-automotive/fortune500/|title=Sonic Automotive Fortune 500 Ranking|website=Fortune|language=en-US|access-date=2022-09-08}}</ref> The company also is a member of the Russell 2000 Index.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.russell.com/indexes/|title=FTSE Russell|date=13 June 2018 |publisher=}}</ref>

==EchoPark Automotive== {{redirect|EchoPark|other uses|Echo Park (disambiguation)}} Sonic Automotive owns EchoPark Automotive, a [[used car]] dealership chain also based in Charlotte.<ref name=wsj>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sonic-automotive-to-start-used-car-dealership-chain-1408335055|title=Sonic Automotive to Start Used-Car Dealership Chain|first=Christina|last=Rogers|date=18 August 2014|publisher=|newspaper=Wall Street Journal}}</ref> EchoPark allows customers to look up competitors' prices on mobile devices located throughout the stores.<ref name=wsj/>

The first EchoPark location opened in the [[Thornton, Colorado|Thornton]] area of [[Denver, Colorado]] in 2014. A location in [[Centennial, Colorado|Centennial]] was later opened along with a store in [[Colorado Springs, Colorado|Colorado Springs]]. In September 2017, EchoPark purchased driversselect,<ref>{{cite web |title=Public groups adjust plans for selling used |url=http://edit.autonews.com/article/20180507/retail/180509863/&template=print&nocache=1}}</ref> a [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]] area dealership, which is now part of the EchoPark brand. EchoPark Automotive operates in 21 states across the United States with over 40 locations as of September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ir.sonicautomotive.com/|title=Investor Relations|website=Sonic Automotive, Inc.}}</ref>

EchoPark facilities are constructed with sustainable building technologies and some locations are LEED certified.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.autonews.com/article/20140818/RETAIL/140819905/sonic-details-plans-for-used-car-network|title=Sonic details EchoPark store plans|first=Amy|last=Wilson|date=15 August 2014|publisher=}}</ref>

==Sales and acquisitions== In 2001, Sonic made its entrance into the [[Oklahoma City]] market with the purchase of Boyd [[Chevrolet]] and Steve Bailey [[American Honda Motor Company|Honda]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oklahoman.com/article/2760918/sonic-automotive-arrives-chain-adding-dealerships-in-metro-area|title = Sonic Automotive Arrives Chain adding dealerships in metro area|date = 2 November 2001}}</ref>

In 2002, Sonic acquired the sixteen-location Michigan-based Don Massey Dealerships. This brought the company to 134 total locations, making it the second-largest automotive retailer at the time. The acquisition also brought Sonic to 23 total [[Cadillac]] dealerships, representing between 5-7% of the brand's total revenue.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1011114070410661720|title = Sonic Automotive Acquires Chain of 16 Car Dealerships|newspaper = Wall Street Journal|date = 16 January 2002}}</ref>

In July 2003, Sonic agreed to purchase eighteen dealerships, including the Momentum Automotive Group in Houston, Texas. Sonic's presence in the Houston area had traditionally been with domestic brands, but the acquisition of Momentum added [[BMW]], [[Jaguar Land Rover|Jaguar]], and [[Audi]] brands to the companies portfolio. This sale also represented the first direct acquisition of a [[Saturn Corporation|Saturn]] franchise by a retail automotive group, with the purchase of two [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] Saturn stores.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1043509/000119312503026942/dex991.htm|title = SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC. ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF 18 DEALERSHIPS}}</ref>

Sonic purchased two dealerships from PPE Houston in January 2007. The acquisition of the [[Land Rover]] and Jaguar stores brought Sonic to 173 franchises and 37 collision repair centers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-01-26 |title=Sonic buys Houston dealerships |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2007/01/22/daily52.html |access-date=2022-06-23 |website=Charlotte Business Journal}}</ref>

Sonic halted its acquisition strategy during the [[Great Recession]] but returned to acquiring new locations in order to drive growth in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.autonews.com/article/20130114/RETAIL07/301149951/sonic-switches-strategies-returns-to-acquisition-mode|title=Sonic switches strategies, returns to acquisition mode|date=11 January 2013}}</ref>

In November 2014, Sonic traded one of its Don Massey Cadillac locations in Lone Tree, CO, to the [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]]-based [[John Elway]] Automotive Group in exchange for the John Elway [[Chevrolet]] location and the associated real estate. The trade came about as a way for the brand to acquire a strong-performing Chevrolet franchise, as well as a plot of land beside the dealership on which the new Murray Imports [[BMW]] location could be built.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebanksreport.com/dealership-buysells/sonic-elway-trade-stores/|title=Real Estate Drives Sonic - Elway Trade|date=17 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/morning_call/2014/12/denver-area-auto-dealerships-trade-ownership.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150723063712/http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/morning_call/2014/12/denver-area-auto-dealerships-trade-ownership.html| archive-date = 2015-07-23| title = Elway, Massey auto dealerships trade ownership of Denver-area lots - Denver Business Journal}}</ref>

Sonic purchased the four AutoMatch USA used car locations in [[Florida]] and [[Georgia (U.S. State)|Georgia]] in 2016. These locations were re-branded under Sonic's EchoPark brand.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.autonews.com/article/20161028/RETAIL/161029821/sonic-takes-echopark-into-fla-ga-with-acquisition|title=Sonic takes EchoPark into Fla., Ga. With acquisition|date=28 October 2016}}</ref>

In October 2017, Sonic sold its Capitol [[Chevrolet]] & [[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]] franchise in [[Columbia, South Carolina|Columbia, SC]] to the Stivers Automotive Group.

In May 2018, Sonic sold its Lone Star [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] franchise in [[Houston, Texas|Houston, TX]] to the Doggett Auto Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2018/05/02/houston-private-co-buys-ford-dealership-from-sonic.html|title = Leslie Doggett Industries scoops up Lone Star Ford from Sonic Automotive}}</ref> The store was renamed Doggett Ford and moved into a new facility alongside Doggett's John Deere equipment dealership.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://theleadernews.com/doggett-enters-car-business/ |title=Doggett enters car business |website=theleadernews.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627162751/https://theleadernews.com/doggett-enters-car-business/ |archive-date=2019-06-27}}</ref>

Sonic sold two dealerships to Graham Holdings in February 2019. The [[Lexus]] of [[Rockville, Maryland|Rockville]] store was renamed Ourisman Lexus of Rockville, as Graham has partnered with Chris Ourisman, president of the Ourisman Auto Group, to manage the locations. The Honda location in [[Vienna, Virginia]], has been renamed Ourisman Honda of Tysons Corner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.autoremarketing.com/retail/sonic-automotive-sells-2-dealerships-graham-holdings|title = Sonic Automotive sells 2 dealerships to Graham Holdings|date = 4 February 2019}}</ref>

In December 2021, Sonic acquired RFJ Auto Partners, a top 15 dealership group with approximately $3.2 billion in total annual revenues, adding 33 locations in six states to the Sonic Automotive portfolio.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Sonic Automotive Announces Completion of RFJ Auto Partners Acquisition |url=https://ir.sonicautomotive.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/269/sonic-automotive-announces-completion-of-rfj-auto-partners |access-date=2022-09-08 |website=Sonic Automotive, Inc. |date=7 December 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Sonic acquired two franchises throughout 2022, the first being Sun Chevrolet in [[Chittenango, New York]] coming in January,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ir.sonicautomotive.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/274/sonic-automotive-continues-expansion-of-its-franchised | title=Sonic Automotive Continues Expansion of its Franchised Dealership Network with the Acquisition of Sun Chevrolet | date=18 January 2022 }}</ref> and the second, Audi [[Owings Mills, Maryland|Owings Mills]] coming aboard in August.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ir.sonicautomotive.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/292/sonic-automotive-acquires-audi-owings-mills-in-maryland | title=Sonic Automotive Acquires Audi Owings Mills in Maryland, Continuing the Expansion of its Franchised Dealership Network | date=17 August 2022 }}</ref>

In February 2023, Sonic Automotive acquired the Black Hills [[Harley-Davidson]] franchise in [[Rapid City, South Dakota]], home of the [[Sturgis Motorcycle Rally]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Sonic Automotive Announces Acquisition of Black Hills Harley-Davidson, Home of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally | date=15 February 2023 | url=https://ir.sonicautomotive.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/301/sonic-automotive-announces-acquisition-of-black-hills }}</ref> The Audi of New Orleans dealership was added to the Sonic portfolio in December of 2024.<ref>{{cite web | title=Sonic Automotive Announces Acquisition of Audi New Orleans | date=12 December 2024 | url=https://ir.sonicautomotive.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/324/sonic-automotive-announces-acquisition-of-audi-new-orleans }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.sonicautomotive.com/ Sonic Automotive] *[https://www.echopark.com/ EchoPark Automotive]

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[[Category:Companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange]] [[Category:Retail companies established in 1997]] [[Category:Auto dealerships of the United States]] [[Category:Companies based in Charlotte, North Carolina]] [[Category:Automotive websites]]