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| FORM 4 | U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
+--------+ WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
[_] Check this box if
no longer subject STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities
obligations may Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the
continue. See Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
Instruction 1(b). Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
(Print or Type Responses)
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
Price Thomas A.
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(Last) (First) (Middle)
240 Bridgeway, Suite A-230
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(Street)
Sausalito CA 94965
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(City) (State) (Zip)
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol Sonic Automotive, Inc. (SAH)
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3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity
(voluntary)
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4. Statement for Month/Year March/2002
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5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
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6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
X Director ________ 10% Owner
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X Officer (give ________ Other (specify
--------- title below) below)
Vice Chairman
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7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
X Form filed by One Reporting Person
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____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
Table I--Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
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1. Title 2. Trans- 3. Trans- 4. Securities Acquired (A) 5. Amount of 6. Owner- 7. Nature
of action action or Disposed of (D) Securities ship of In-
Security Date Code (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) Beneficially Form: direct
(Instr. 3) (Instr. 8) Owned at Direct Bene-
----------------------------------------------- End of (D) or ficial
(Month/ Indirect Owner-
Day/ (A) or Month (I) ship
Year) Code V Amount (D) Price (Instr. 3 and 4) (Instr. 4) (Instr. 4)
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Class A Common Stock 3-14-02 G V 650 D
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Class A Common Stock 3-15-02 G V 165 D
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Class A Common Stock 3-27-02 S(1) 290,000 D 30.13
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Class A Common Stock 4-1-02 S(1) V 110,000 D 30.01 1,000,355 I By reporting
person as
trustee for
for The Price
Trust
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Class A Common Stock 600 D
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*If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction
4(b)(v).
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 control number
SEC 1474 (3-99)
FORM 4 (continued)
Table II--Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
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1. Title of Derivative 2. Conver- 3. Trans- 4. Transac- 5. Number of Deriv-
Security (Instr. 3) sion or action tion Code ative Securities
Exercise Date (Instr. 8) Acquired (A) or
Price of (Month/ Disposed of (D)
Deriv- Day/ (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
ative Year)
Security
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Code V (A) (D)
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6. Date Exer- 7. Title and Amount of 8. Price 9. Number 10. Owner- 11. Na-
cisable and Underlying Securities of of Deriv- ship ture
Expiration (Instr. 3 and 4) Deriv- ative Form of In-
Date ative Secur- of De- direct
(Month/Day/ Secur- ities rivative Bene-
Year) ity Bene- Security ficial
(Instr. ficially Direct Owner-
-------------------------------------------- 5) Owned (D) or ship
Date Expira- Amount or at End Indirect (Instr.
Exer- tion Title Number of of (I) 4)
cisable Date Shares Month (Instr. 4)
(Instr. 4)
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Explanation of Responses:
(1) Sale pursuant to a variable prepaid forward contract, dated as of March
31, 2002, between the reporting person and Banc of America Securities LLC. The
final sales prices and number of shares delivered are subject to adjustment
upon settlement of the contract based on the closing price of the Issuer's
Class A Common Stock on selected dates in March and April of 2005.
/s/ Thomas A. Price 4/10/02
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**Signature of Reporting Person Date
See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed.
If space provided 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.