FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SMITH BRYAN SCOTT
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SONIC AUTOMOTIVE INC [SAH] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President and CSO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC., 4401 COLWICK ROAD		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/28/2012
(Street)

CHARLOTTE, NC 28211		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/28/2012   G V 0 (2)     (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock (2) (2) 900,765 (2) I by Trust
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/28/2012   J   0 (3)     (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock (3) (3) 900,765 (3) I by LLC
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/28/2012   J   0 (4)     (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock (4) (4) 900,765 (4) I by Trust
Class B Common Stock (1)               (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock 900,765   900,765 I by LLC (7)
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/28/2012   G V   0 (5)   (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock (5) (5) 900,765 (5) I by Children
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/28/2012   G V   0 (6)   (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock (6) (6) 900,765 (6) I by LLC and Trust
Class B Common Stock (1)               (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock 76,110   76,110 D  
Class B Common Stock (1) 12/31/2012   G V 0 (8)     (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock (8) (8) 900,765 (8) I by SFC
Class B Common Stock (1) 01/02/2013   G V 0 (8)     (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock (8) (8) 900,765 (8) I by SFC

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SMITH BRYAN SCOTT
C/O SONIC AUTOMOTIVE, INC.
4401 COLWICK ROAD
CHARLOTTE, NC 28211		   X     President and CSO  

Signatures

 /s/ Stephen K. Coss, as Attorney-in-Fact   01/02/2013
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Shares of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class B Common Stock are convertible into shares of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class A Common Stock on a 1-for-1 basis at the option of the reporting person and there is no expiration date.
(2) The reporting person is a co-trustee and beneficiary of O. Bruton Smith Family Irrevocable Trust dated December 11, 2012 (the "Trust"), which received a 3.1685% interest in OBS Holdings, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company ("Holdings") from Mr. O. Bruton Smith by gift. Holdings is an indirect holder of 8,881,250 shares of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class B Common Stock. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of shares held by the Trust, SFC and interests in Holdings, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(3) Reflects purchase of an 11.8819% interest in Holdings by OBS Family, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company ("Family"), of which the reporting person and his three siblings each own a 25% equity interest. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of shares held by Family, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(4) Reflects purchase of an 11.8315% interest in Holdings by the Trust.
(5) The reporting person gifted a 0.5% interest in BWI (defined below) to each of his three minor children.
(6) The reporting person transferred a 17.5% interest in BWI (defined below) to his wife, as trustee for the Rollins GST Trust u/a/d 12/12/12.
(7) The reporting person gifted 900,765 shares of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class B Common Stock to BWI Financial, LLC, a North Carolina limited liability company ("BWI"). The reporting person is the sole manager and a member of BWI.
(8) The reporting person received a gift of less than 1.0% of the outstanding stock of Sonic Financial Corporation ("SFC") from Mr. O. Bruton Smith. SFC holds directly 8,881,250 shares of Sonic Automotive, Inc.'s Class B Common Stock.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.