Islet Chrysler will be the base of ViB Groupe Auto, says Carl Benjamin

Carl Benjamin has chosen to make a major career change. After working for a decade in the world of insurance, the Quebec businessman (on the left in the photo above) chose to establish himself in the world of car sales. In March, he became the owner and president of L’Islet Chrysler de Tourville after buying this dealership from Groupe Véloce de Rivière-du-Loup, as well as buying Villeneuve Autos, Crédit Accepte-T and Villeneuve 360. The four companies that will be the basis of the new group that he named ViB Groupe Auto.

This name is taken from the abbreviation of Villeneuve Industrie et Benjamin inc. (Auto Group), a company that currently includes four components: a dealer, a used car sales company and a member ofAMVOQ Villeneuve AutosVilleneuve 360 ​​mechanical repair workshop with a tire specialist, as well as a financing service Accepting a T-Loan which offers, in particular, the “3rd layer of credit”.

“With this group, we herald a new wave of growth in the automotive industry,” Mr. Benjamin told us with confidence, recounting the short beginning of this project that he has been thinking about for some time now with his business partner.

About a year and a half ago, he joined Sasha Villeneuve, founder of Villeneuve Autos and Crédit Accepte-T (on the right in the top photo). “This special credit specialist is the best business partner. Today, he manages all activities rigorously and our relationship quickly formed a business relationship and friendship,” Mr. Benjamin told us while recognizing the important contribution of Mr.’s wife. Villeneuve, Karine Racine, in the success achieved by Crédit Accepte-T so far.

Chrysler customers are easy to reach

Then, negotiations to acquire a Chrysler dealership in Tourville began in 2023, in mid-August. “We wanted the Chrysler business because Sasha knows this manufacturer and its ways of doing things. He also appreciates its products, especially Ram, and finds Chrysler customers easily accessible. »

Mr. Benjamin, however, had to wait until March this year to complete the transaction. “Professionals of Templeton Marsh, starting with Sylvie Gagnon, helped us a lot, as did the previous owner, Vincent Beauchesne. It took a long time, but we must realize that the economic context was not good for us. And then, we were strangers in this field, “he says, very understanding. “But when we presented our project to Mathieu Nadeau-Haddad, managing director and leader of the Business Financing team at CIBC, he immediately believed in us. He understood that our project is going well beyond one agreement. » Because Mr. Benjamin thinks a lot. Very big.

With his partner, he soon intends to open a commercial vehicle division at Villeneuve Auto in Saint-Nicolas. Its location will allow ViB to expand its reach, and Villeneuve Auto already has a branch in Charlesbourg and another in Lévis. “Then, within a year or two, we plan to find a high-end business, such as Kia or Mazda. Then we will have a large number of used cars, giving more scope to our banner,” the CEO told us.

Big names have been added to the team

This project is not just about bricks and mortar. The two were able to attract new resources and great experience. In a message published on his Facebook page, announcing the acquisition of L’Islet Chrysler, Mr. Benjamin talks about “the fire team that has more than 30 years of experience at Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and that joins the current team today. »

All of these champions are experts in the products and services offered by Chrysler. They are Simon Brassard, a veteran of Capital Chrysler, Frédérik Brindamour, an F&I expert from Ste-Foy Chrysler, Carl Bergeron, another Ste-Foy Chrysler veteran who specializes in used cars, and finally Martin Fontaine, also an F&I expert who did work. at Lapointe Automobiles in Montmagny. The latter will also join the Crédit-T Acceptance team.

“the”excitement” (editor’s note: play on words with ViB), this is what we will create with these professionals who are coming to join the L’Islet Chrysler team, because they believe in our vision of growth and prosperity that we want. establish here,” affirms Mr. Benjamin enthusiastically.

A business that is 70 years old

After all, there has already been a Chrysler dealership in Tourville for 70 years, a municipality located about thirty kilometers southeast of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, in the administrative region of Chaudière-Appalaches.

It was in 1947 that members of the famous Tourville family, the Lords, opened a mechanical workshop. Then, after representing the American brand Willys and the British brand Morris until the early 1950s, in 1954, the family business became a Chrysler dealer called Lord & Brothers Limited.

Carl Benjamin received this approval from Groupe Véloce. Well known in Bas-Saint-Laurent, this group from Rivière-du-Loup is led by Vincent Beauchesne and Alex Bossé. He still runs three dealerships: Rivière-du-Loup Mitsubishi in the town of the same name, as well as Témis Chrysler and Témis Chevrolet in Témiscouata-sur-le-Lac. The group also has a subsidiary specializing in the sale of used cars called Clic Crédit. Additionally, Beauchesne and Bossé bought the Tourville contract in September 2021 from the Claudel brothers, Clermont, Normand and Paul Lord, who had managed it since 1985.

Today, L’Islet Chrysler offers Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram products to customers from the MRCs of Kamouraska, L’Islet and Montmagny. It employs about fifteen people and, according to Mr. Benjamin, “it should produce about 400 cars per year (50% new and 50% used) and should allow our group to produce about 1,000 per year. »

Photo : L’Islet Chrysler