FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                        Contact: Anne-Beth Nemeroff
February 10, 2006                                                                    (954) 429-2387 or 
                                                                     anne-beth.nemeroff@jmfamily.com

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla. – Fortune 300 company Sonic Automotive, Inc., one of the United States’ largest automotive retailers, will be implementing the latest in technological innovation in each of its 177 dealership franchises nationwide through an agreement with automotive software company American Auto Exchange, Inc. (aaXchange®). 

aaXchange, part of the JMsolutions™ suite of technology products and services, and a division of diversified automotive company JM Family Enterprises, Inc., provides specialized software programs designed to create optimum efficiencies in inventory management and other key areas of a dealership’s business.  Sonic Automotive will install aaXchange’s premiere product, the Vehicle Management System (VMS), at each of its dealership franchises across the United States.

 “This is not just another software product – it’s a significantly improved management tool that we’ve selected to manage our entire inventory process,” said Jeffrey C. Rachor, Sonic’s President and Chief Operating Officer.  “We fully expect that aaXchange will enable our dealerships to make better informed decisions that will result in incremental sales and profitability.  The aaXchange technology compliments our focus on standardization of operating processes across our organization.

“aaXchange solutions are retail focused and compliment Sonic’s existing inventory management strategies to improve inventory velocity and margin while satisfying our customers’ needs and expectations,” said Jeff Dyke, Sonic’s Vice President of Retail Strategy.  ”aaXchange provides the leadership, products and relationship necessary to achieve the levels of success we desire from our vehicle operations.”

The VMS system enables used vehicle departments to perform fast, up-to-date market appraisals, identify single point and dealer group sales trends and ascertain immediate reporting and buy/sell recommendations. VMS benefits the new car department by providing an in depth analysis around the exact status of a models ideal stocking level on that dealership lot.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Sonic has selected JMsolutions and aaXchange to be the solution provider for such a critical area of their business”, said Scott Barrett, Jmsolutions President. “The VMS system will assist Sonic’s personnel in making fact-based decisions as they manage their new and used vehicle inventory.  We are proud of this new alliance with Sonic to support their needs.”
 

About Sonic Automotive, Inc.
Sonic Automotive, Inc., a Fortune 300 company based in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest automotive retailers in the United States, operating 177 franchises and 38 collision repair centers. Sonic can be reached on the Web at http://www.sonicautomotive.com.

About American Auto Exchange
American Auto Exchange, Inc. (aaXchange®), (www.aaxchange.com). a JM Family Enterprises, Inc. (JMFE) company, and part of the JMsolutions™ suite of technology products and services, is poised to prepare your used vehicle operations for increased performance and profitability.  Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, aaXchange is an innovative automotive software development company whose primary focus is dedicated to streamlining new and used vehicle operations, inventory optimization, and vehicle purchase and disposal.  aaXchange has a client base of approximately 1,000 dealerships and automotive groups nationwide. 

About JMsolutions™
A division of diversified automotive company JM Family Enterprises, Inc. (JMFE), JMsolutions (www.jmfe-jmsolutions.com) acquires, creates and markets innovative software systems to help automotive dealers improve operational efficiencies while maximizing sales.  Building on JMFE’s tradition of establishing businesses that provide premier products and services to the automotive industry and beyond, JMsolutions focuses on inventory optimization, technology integration, finance and insurance menu, dealer desking and reporting solutions.  Headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Fla., JMsolutions has major operations in Dallas, Texas. 

About JM Family Enterprises, Inc.
JM Family Enterprises, Inc. (JMFE) (www.jmfamily.com), with revenues exceeding $9 billion, is a diversified automotive company ranked by Forbes as the 17th largest privately held company in the U.S.  It is currently ranked No. 40 by a survey in FORTUNE® magazine of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and No. 77 on the InformationWeek 500 listing of the nation’s leading information technology innovators.  JMFE’s primary subsidiaries and divisions include:  Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET), World Omni Financial Corp., JM&A Group, JM Service Center, JMsolutions and JM Lexus.  Headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Fla., JMFE has major operations in Jacksonville, Fla., Mobile, Ala., Commerce and Alpharetta, Ga., and St. Louis, Mo.

#  #  #