Sonic Automotive Continues to Grow its EchoPark Nationwide Distribution Network with Opening of Newest Delivery Center in Columbus, Georgia

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The Brand’s 38th Location to Date Offers Guests in the Surrounding Area a Modern eCommerce Automotive Buying Experience

COLUMBUS, Ga.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sonic Automotive, Inc. (“Sonic” or the “Company”) (NYSE:SAH), a Fortune 500 Company and one of the nation’s largest automotive retailers, today announced the continued expansion of the EchoPark Automotive brand with the opening of its newest delivery center in Columbus, Georgia. The second-largest city in Georgia after Atlanta, Columbus is located in the western part of the state along the Alabama border.

The Columbus Delivery Center is EchoPark’s fourth location in Georgia, adding to its existing Augusta delivery center and two retail hubs in Duluth and Marietta. The brand is well on its way to achieving an aggressive expansion plan to reach 90 percent of the U.S. population and generate $14 billion in revenues by 2025.

Delivery Centers are part of an exclusive model following consumer trends of online shopping to retail store buying desires within the auto category. This model allows EchoPark to expand into new markets quickly and immediately, providing access to thousands of the best quality cars at the best price from across the country. Each Delivery Center has Experience Guides and an Imagine Bar ready to help guests “find the one.” If guests prefer, they can shop EchoPark inventory online from anywhere and with the brand’s simple and transparent process, go from selecting a vehicle to purchasing it and using a Delivery Center only for pickup. Streamlining and simplifying the process online and in-store has allowed EchoPark to immediately make an impact in new communities, but its success has come from the Company’s teammates and the brand focus of creating happy owners. The EchoPark guest experience has generated over 50,000 5-Star ratings and reviews.

“With the opening of our new delivery center in Columbus, we look forward to serving more guests in Georgia and surrounding areas with yet another convenient location that will provide the best car shopping, selling and buying experience online and in-store,” said David Smith, CEO of Sonic Automotive. “As we continue to expand the EchoPark brand, we remain committed and focused on delivering the best quality pre-owned cars with the best proven value from the most caring staff to deliver award-winning guest experiences. Our mission is literally in our name, Every Car deserves a Happy Owner. And we’re proud that our 5-Star ratings and reviews speak to that.”

Following its 2014 launch, EchoPark has rapidly become one of the pre-owned automotive retail industry’s most prominent success stories. The Company continues to expand its EchoPark footprint into new markets, enabling its interim goal of retailing 575,000 vehicles while driving toward a two million vehicle annual sales opportunity at maturity.

Find Our Newest Location

The EchoPark Columbus Delivery Center is located at 6100 Whitesville Road, Columbus, Georgia. It is open Monday to Friday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. The store can be reached at (706) 225-5500 or online at www.echopark.com/dealerships/columbus.htm.

About EchoPark Automotive

EchoPark Automotive is one of the fastest growing and most comprehensive retailers of nearly new pre-owned vehicles in America today. Our rapid growth plan is expected to bring our unique business model to 90% of the U.S. population by 2025, utilizing one of the most innovative technology-enabled sales strategies in our industry. Our approach provides a personalized and proven guest-centric buying process that consistently delivers award winning guest experiences and superior value to car buyers nationwide, with savings of up to $3,000 versus the competition. We believe EchoPark is on pace to become the #1 retailer in the nearly new pre-owned vehicle market by 2025, and is already making its mark by earning the 2021 Consumer Satisfaction Award from DealerRater, expanding its Owner Experience Centers, developing an all-new digital ecommerce platform and focusing on growing its brand nationwide. EchoPark’s mission is in its name: Every Car deserves a Happy Owner. This drives the car buying experience for guests and differentiates EchoPark from the competition. More information about EchoPark Automotive can be found at www.echopark.com.

About Sonic Automotive

Sonic Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 500 company based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is on a quest to become the most valuable automotive retailer and service brand in America. Our Company culture thrives on creating, innovating, and providing industry-leading guest experiences, driven by strategic investments in technology, teammates, and ideas that ultimately fulfill ownership dreams, enrich lives, and deliver happiness to our guests and teammates. As one of the largest automotive retailers in America, we are committed to delivering on this goal while pursuing expansive growth and taking progressive measures to be the leader in this category. Our new platforms, programs, and people are set to drive the next generation of automotive experiences. More information about Sonic Automotive can be found at www.sonicautomotive.com and ir.sonicautomotive.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Included herein are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding anticipated future U.S. population coverage for EchoPark, anticipated future revenue projections, and anticipated future retail unit sales volume projections. There are many factors that affect management’s views about future events and trends of the Company’s business. These factors involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or trends to differ materially from management’s views, including, without limitation, economic conditions in the markets in which we operate, new and used vehicle industry sales volume, anticipated future growth in our EchoPark Segment, the success of our operational strategies, the rate and timing of overall economic expansion or contraction, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and related government-imposed restrictions on operations, and the risk factors described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and other reports and information filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking information, except as required under federal securities laws and the rules and regulations of the SEC.

Investor Inquiries:
Heath Byrd, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer 704-566-2400
Danny Wieland, Vice President, Investor Relations 704-927-3462
ir@sonicautomotive.com

Press Inquiries:
Joshua Greenwald / Danielle DeVoren
646-379-7971 / 212-896-1272
jgreenwald@kcsa.com/ ddevoren@kcsa.com

Source: Sonic Automotive, Inc.

Released April 26, 2022