SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

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                                   FORM 8-K/A

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date to earliest event reported):   March 24, 1998


                             SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
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               (Exact name of registrant as Specified in Charter)


Delaware                         1-13395           56-2010790
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(State or Other                (Commission         (IRS Employer      
Jurisdiction of                File Number)        Identification No.)
Incorporation)                 



      5401 East Independence Boulevard
               P.O. Box 18747
         Charlotte, North Carolina                         28026
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  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)              (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (704) 532-3320
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          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
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(A)   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF BUSINESS ACQUIRED.  Not required

(B) PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION. Attached as an exhibit to this report on
Form 8-K/A are the following:

   UNAUDITED PRO FORMA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS REFLECTING THE BUSINESS COMBINATION
   OF SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC. AND CLEARWATER DEALERSHIPS

     Unaudited Pro Forma Balance Sheet at December 31, 1997 (Unaudited) and 
      Notes thereto.
     Unaudited Pro Forma Statement of Operations for the Year Ended December 31,
      1997 (Unaudited) and Notes thereto.

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(C)    EXHIBITS

  Exhibit Number                           Description
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       99.1*              Asset Purchase Agreement dated December 30, 1997
                          between Sonic Automotive, Inc., as buyer, and M&S
                          Resources, Inc., Clearwater Auto Resources, Inc., and
                          Clearwater Collision Center, Inc., as sellers and
                          Scott Fink, Michael Cohen, Jeffrey Schuman, and
                          Timothy McCabe as shareholders of the sellers.

       99.2*              Amendment No. 1 and Supplement to Asset Purchase
                          Agreement dated as of March 24, 1998 between Sonic
                          Automotive, Inc., as buyer, and M&S Resources, Inc.,
                          Clearwater Auto Resources, Inc., and Clearwater
                          Collision Center, Inc., as sellers and Scott Fink,
                          Michael Cohen, Jeffrey Schuman, and Timothy McCabe as
                          shareholders of the sellers.

       99.3*              Press Release dated January 6, 1998

       99.4               Unaudited Pro Forma Financial Statements Reflecting
                          the Business Combination of Sonic Automotive, Inc. and
                          Clearwater Dealerships for the year ended
                          December 31, 1997.


*Filed previously

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                                   SIGNATURES

   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                           SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC.

Date:  July 24, 1998                       By: /s/  Theodore M. Wright
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                                               Theodore M. Wright
                                               Chief Financial
                                               Officer, Vice
                                               President-Finance,
                                               Treasurer, Secretary
                                               and Director


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