UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

x

Rule 13d-1(b)

o

Rule 13d-1(c)

o

Rule 13d-1(d)

CUSIP No. 83545G102

1.

Names of Reporting Persons
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC

2.

Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)

(a)

o

(b)

o

3.

SEC Use Only

4.

Citizenship or Place of Organization
Delaware

Number of
Shares
Beneficially
Owned by
Each
Reporting
Person With

5.

Sole Voting Power
2,848,278

6.

Shared Voting Power
0

7.

Sole Dispositive Power
3,228,878

8.

Shared Dispositive Power
0

9.

Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
3,230,279

10.

Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)  o N/A

11.

Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
11.20%

12.

Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
IA

Item 1.

(a)

Name of Issuer
Sonic Automotive, Inc.

(b)

Address of Issuer’s Principal Executive Offices
6415 Idlewild Road, Suite 109

Charlotte, North Carolina 28212

Item 2.

(a)

Name of Person Filing
Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC.

(b)

Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence
90 Hudson Street

Jersey City, NJ 07302.

(c)

Citizenship
See No. 4 on page 2.

(d)

Title of Class of Securities
See cover page.

(e)

CUSIP Number
See cover page.

Item 3.

If this statement is filed pursuant to §§240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

(a)

o

Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78o).

(b)

o

Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).

(c)

o

Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).

(d)

o

Investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8).

(e)

x

An investment adviser in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);

(f)

o

An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);

(g)

o

A parent holding company or control person in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);

(h)

o

A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);

(i)

o

A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);

(j)

o

Group, in accordance with §240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).

Item 4.

Ownership

Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and percentage of the class of securities of the issuer identified in Item 1.

(a)

Amount beneficially owned:   

See No. 9 on page 2.

(b)

Percent of class:   

See No. 11 on page 2.

(c)

Number of shares as to which the person has:

(i)

Sole power to vote or to direct the vote   

See No. 5 on page 2.

(ii)

Shared power to vote or to direct the vote    

See No. 6 on page 2.

(iii)

Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of   

See No. 7 on page 2.

(iv)

Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of   

See No. 8 on page 2.

Item 5.

Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class

If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following   o.

Not applicable.

Item 6.

Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person

Securities reported on this Schedule 13G as being beneficially owned by Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC are held on behalf on investment advisory clients, which may include investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act, employee benefit plans, pension funds or other institutional clients.

Not applicable.

Item 7.

Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company or Control Person

Not applicable.

Item 8.

Identification and Classification of Members of the Group

Not applicable.

Item 9.

Notice of Dissolution of Group

Not applicable.

Item 10.

Certification

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

Date: April 10, 2008

Date

/s/ Lawrence H. Kaplan

Signature

Lawrence H. Kaplan/General Counsel

Name/Title