1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation – The accompanying Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the first quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012 have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. These Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements reflect, in the opinion of management, all material normal recurring adjustments necessary to fairly state the financial position and the results of operations for the periods presented. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire fiscal year, because the first quarter normally contributes less operating profit than the second, third and fourth quarters. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements of Sonic Automotive, Inc. (“Sonic” or the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2012, which were included in Sonic’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Reclassifications – The Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012 reflect the reclassification of balances from continuing operations to discontinued operations from the prior year presentation for additional dealerships sold or terminated subsequent to March 31, 2012.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements – In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued an accounting standard update that amended the reporting requirements for amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component. An entity is required to present, either on the face of the statement where net income is presented or in the notes to the financial statements, significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by the respective line items of net income but only if the amount reclassified is required under U.S. GAAP to be reclassified to net income in its entirety in the same reporting period. For other amounts that are not required to be reclassified in their entirety to net income, an entity is required to cross-reference to other disclosures that provide additional detail about those amounts. The amendments in this accounting standard update are to be applied prospectively and are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2012. See Note 10, “Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss),” for the impact of this accounting standard update on Sonic’s required disclosures.

Lease Exit Accruals – Lease exit accruals relate to facilities Sonic has ceased using in its operations. The accruals represent the present value of the lease payments, net of estimated or actual sublease proceeds, for the remaining life of the operating leases and other accruals necessary to satisfy the lease commitment to the landlord. A summary of the activity of these operating lease exit accruals consists of the following:

Income Tax Expense – The overall effective tax rate from continuing operations was 39.0% and 39.7% in the first quarters ended March 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The effective rate in the first quarter ended March 31, 2013 was lower than the prior year period due to the level of overall taxable income and the shift in the distribution of taxable income between states in which Sonic operates.