Honda Dealer to Lead Visionary Vehicles Dealer Council

As New Dealer Spokesman, Ciasulli Says He Is Looking to Set the Record Straight on Why Malcolm's Unique Approach Is So Smart for Dealers Looking to Position Themselves Properly for the Future

NEW YORK, Oct. 19 -- Visionary Vehicles Founder and CEO Malcolm Bricklin announced today that he has chosen Visionary Vehicles dealer Tim Ciasulli as head of the Visionary Vehicles Dealer Council, the body that will provide dealer input to Visionary Vehicles and its partnership with Chery Automobile Company.

Ciasulli has vast experience as a dealer. He has sold 13 different automotive brands and was one of the original Hyundai Dealers. His Planet Honda business model was featured prominently in the book, GUTS: Companies That Blow The Doors Off Business As Usual. The authors describe Planet Honda as "an auto dealership that blows the doors off of selling cars as usual, with annual revenues of almost $100 million." GUTS attributes Ciasulli's success to two core principles: employees for life and customers for life. The authors maintain that Ciasulli is one of few dealers that make "car buying fun."

Ciasulli has lived through the evolution of international auto manufacturing and feels that China provides an enormous opportunity. He said, "Germany, Japan, Korea, now China. It is inevitable, but China will be better, faster."

Malcolm Bricklin says he chose Ciasulli to lead the Dealer Council because of that fresh consumer friendly and employee friendly approach. "On his own, Tim Ciasulli came to many of the conclusions about the industry status quo as I have. Our goals are totally in sync. Together we will revolutionize the industry, make history and make the consumer very, very happy."

Ciasulli sees the competitiveness of China and agrees with the Visionary Vehicles dealer-centric philosophy about product decisions, pricing, marketing and operations. Yet, Ciasulli says that the dealers he speaks to are shocked by the difference between what they read about Visionary Vehicles and what is in fact such an extraordinary opportunity.

"The media loves to talk about the $2-million investment and cars that aren't here yet. What they seem to take for granted is the fact that the entire Visionary Vehicles business plan is a huge paradigm shift in an industry that hasn't changed for 50 years. The customer, the dealer, the importer and the factory are all on a parallel track here. Never before has the flow of information been so aligned with making real-time changes so that the car that we sell to the customer is sure to be the hottest, newest, best thing out there. When I understood that completely, I really felt smart about making the investment. We are changing the business in a way only a new company with real dealer input can. I wanted to own a part of this company ... and now I do."

  A Visionary Vehicles dealer will:

   -- Receive a front gross of 15% on all models.
   -- Secure one of only 250 exclusive North American territories
   -- Become an equity owner in Visionary Vehicles.
   -- Be able to directly contribute input on long-term product strategy,
      product development, and support.

The Visionary Vehicles Dealer Council will be comprised of approximately 20 dealers, who will represent the entire field of 250 Visionary Vehicles dealers. Ciasulli will be responsible for choosing the other members he feels are most representative of the full group.

Visionary Vehicles and Chery Automobile Company have a plan to eventually sell 2,000,000 units in North America with the first 1,000,000 units to be manufactured at the large, expansive Chery factory in Wuhu, China and the next (additional) 1,000,000 units to be manufactured at new Visionary Vehicles/Chery facilities in the United States.

About Visionary Vehicles

Automotive entrepreneur, Malcolm Bricklin, and his team of experienced professionals established Visionary Vehicles as an international automobile company with the mission to bring an exciting new brand of aggressively priced, beautifully styled, high-quality vehicles into North America.

After searching the globe, Visionary Vehicles discovered the ideal manufacturing partner in Chery Automobile Company (Wuhu, China). Over the past several months, Visionary Vehicles and Chery's management teams have created a dynamic working relationship that brings innovation, a long-term product strategy and "quick response" capabilities to the marketplace to give its brand an incredible competitive advantage.

Visionary Vehicles will also introduce a new retail experience for its consumers. With an inviting layout complete with an expansive showroom and the most cutting-edge consumer amenities, Visionary Vehicles' dealer facilities will more closely resemble an exciting Auto Show than traditional dealership showrooms. Consumers will be able to see, test drive, and learn about Visionary's full line of cars and trucks in a spacious auto-show-like environment.