POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints
Stephen K. Coss, Thomas H. O'Donnell, Jr. and Melinda S. Blundell, or any of
them signing singly, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

        1.	Execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
capacity as an officer of Sonic Automotive, Inc. (the "Company"), Forms 4 and 5
in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the
rules thereunder;

        2.	Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any
such Form 4 or 5, complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto,
and file such form or amendment thereto with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority; and

	3. Take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with
the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to,
in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being understood
that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned
pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such
terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-
fact's discretion.

        The undersigned hereby grants to such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-
in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.  The
undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such
capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company
assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

        This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 4 and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company,
unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 8th day of November, 2005.

					/s/ Mark J. Iuppenlatz
					Signature

					Mark J. Iuppenlatz
					Print Name