EXHIBIT 23.1

   
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Sonic Automotive, Inc.
Charlotte, North Carolina

We consent to the use in this Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement of
Sonic Automotive, Inc. on Form S-3 of (i) our report dated February 16, 1999 on
the consolidated financial statements of Sonic Automotive, Inc. and
Subsidiaries as of December 31, 1997 and 1998 and for each of the three years
in the period ended December 31, 1998; (ii) our report dated March 26, 1999 on
the combined financial statements of Williams Automotive Group as of and for
the year ended December 31, 1998; (iii) our report dated March 16, 1999 on the
financial statements of Economy Cars, Inc. as of and for the year ended
December 31, 1998; (iv) our report dated March 26, 1999 on the financial
statements of Global Imports, Inc. as of and for the year ended December 31,
1998; (v) our report dated March 12, 1999 on the combined financial statements
of Newsome Automotive Group as of and for the year ended December 31, 1998;
(vi) our report dated March 15, 1999 on the combined financial statements of
Lloyd Automotive Group as of and for the year ended December 31, 1998; and
(vii) our report dated March 24, 1999 on the financial statements of Lute Riley
Motors, Inc. as of and for the year ended December 31, 1998, all appearing in
the Prospectus which is part of this Registration Statement. We also consent to
the incorporation by reference in this Amendment No. 1 to the Registration
Statement of Sonic Automotive, Inc. on Form S-3 of our report dated May 22,
1998 on the combined financial statements of Hatfield Automotive Group as of
December 31, 1996 and 1997 and for each of the three years in the period ended
December 31, 1997, our report dated June 4, 1998 on the financial statements of
Casa Ford of Houston, Inc. as of and for the year ended December 31, 1997 and
our report dated August 21, 1998 on the financial statements of Higginbotham
Automotive Group as of and for the year ended December 31, 1997, all
incorporated by reference in the Prospectus which is part of this Registration
Statement.

We also consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in the
Prospectus, which is part of such S-3 Registration Statement.

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
Charlotte, North Carolina

April 7, 1999
    

                          [SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC. LOGO]

                                  
 
                         PRIVATE PLACEMENT IN CANADA OF
                         SHARES OF CLASS A COMMON STOCK
     THE OFFERING

   
       The shares of Class A Common Stock (the "Class A Common Stock") being
     offered hereby are part of an offering by Sonic Automotive, Inc. (the
     "Company"), a Delaware corporation, and by certain stockholders of the
     Company (the "Selling Stockholders") of 8,000,000 shares of Class A Common
     Stock (9,200,000 shares of Class A Common Stock if the Underwriters'
     over-allotment options are exercised in full).
    

        Attached hereto is a copy of the prospectus filed with the Securities
     and Exchange Commission in the United States regarding the offering being
     made in the United States. The offering in Canada is being made solely in
     the province of Ontario.


     RESALE RESTRICTIONS

       The distribution of the shares of Class A Common Stock in Canada is
     being made on a private placement basis. Accordingly, any resale of such
     shares of Class A Common Stock must be made in accordance with an
     exemption from the registration and prospectus requirements of the
     SECURITIES ACT (Ontario) (the "Act"). Purchasers of the shares of Class A
     Common Stock are advised to seek legal advice prior to any resale of the
     shares of Class A Common Stock.


     REPRESENTATION BY PURCHASERS

       Confirmations of the acceptance of offers to purchase the shares of
     Class A Common Stock will be sent to purchasers in Canada who have not
     withdrawn their offers to purchase prior to the issuance of such
     confirmations. Each purchaser who receives a purchase confirmation will,
     by the purchaser's receipt thereof, be deemed to represent to the Company,
     the Selling Stockholders and the dealer from whom such purchase
     confirmation is received that such purchaser is a person or company to
     which shares of Class A Common Stock may be sold without the benefit of a
     prospectus qualified under the Act.


     ENFORCEMENT OF LEGAL RIGHTS

       The shares of Class A Common Stock being offered and those of a foreign
     issuer and Ontario purchasers will not receive the contractual right of
     action prescribed by section 32 of the Regulation under the Act. As a
     result, Ontario purchasers must rely on other remedies that may be
     available, including common law rights of action for damages or rescission
     or rights of action under the civil liability provisions of the U.S.
     federal securities laws.

        All of the Company's directors and officers, the Selling Stockholders
     and the experts named herein may be located outside of Canada and, as a
     result, it may not be possible for Canadian purchasers to effect service
     of process within Canada upon the Company or such persons. All or a
     substantial portion of the assets of the Company and such persons may be
     located outside of Canada and, as a result, it may not be possible to
     satisfy a judgment against the Company or such persons in Canada or to
     enforce a judgment obtained in Canadian courts against the Company or such
     persons outside of Canada.