BEIJING, August 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lentuo International Inc. (NYSE: LAS) ("Lentuo" or "the Company"), a leading non-state-owned automobile retailer headquartered in Beijing, Bitauto Holdings Limited ("Bitauto") (NYSE: BITA), a leading provider of Internet content and marketing services for China's fast-growing automotive industry, and Youxinpai (Beijing) Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("UXIN"), a leading professional auto auction service provider in China, today announced that senior management attended a ceremony in Beijing marking the signing of the joint venture ("JV") agreement.
The ceremony was presided over by Mr. William Bin Li, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bitauto, Mr. Chris Kun Dai, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of UXIN, and Mr. Hetong Guo, Founder and Chairman of Lentuo International. Mr. Lei Luo, Vice-General Secretary of CADA was also in attendance and delivered congratulatory remarks.
The establishment of the JV is moving rapidly and smoothly. The partners expect the JV to be officially registered by the end of September 2014 and are cooperating actively to begin operations before the end of December 2014.
The joint venture, which will originally be centered on Beijing and gradually expand to other cities, will integrate the resources of each partner to build the largest Online-to-Offline platform exclusively focused on high-end pre-owned cars in China. Lentuo will own 60% of the joint venture with Bitauto and UXIN each holding 20%.
About Lentuo International Inc.
Founded in 1994, Lentuo Group ("Lentuo") is a leading Chinese automobile retailer headquartered in Beijing. Through its many subsidiaries, Lentuo operates 4S franchise dealerships, automobile showrooms, automobile repair shops, a car leasing company, automobile financing and a pre-owned car business.
Lentuo dealership brands include FAW Audi, FAW-Volkswagen, Shanghai VW, FAW Toyota, FAW Mazda, Honda, and Chang'an Mazda. Since its establishment, Lentuo has developed relationships with many other well-known domestic and overseas brands as it expands further into the luxury car market. Annual sales for Lentuo's dealership brands consistently rank among the top in Beijing and China. On December 10th, 2010, Lentuo was listed on the New York Stock Exchange as the first and only Chinese auto-dealership group.
Over the past 20 years, Lentuo has received various industry awards from the government, OEMs and industry associations. Lentuo has been recognized as a Famous Trademark by the Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce (BAIC), a Top 50 Auto Dealer in China, a China Automobile Sales and Service Top Ten Enterprise Group, and has been awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award and Distinguished Contribution Award in the China Automobile Dealers Industry by CADA. It is the only triple A-rated Beijing Automobile Works dealership group in China to have been designated an FAW strategic partner, and awarded FAW Audi Sales Award, FAW Audi No. 1 Customer Satisfaction, FAW-Volkswagen National Sales Champion, FAW-Volkswagen Gold Award for Service Satisfaction, Shanghai Volkswagen 6 Star-Rated Franchise Dealer and FAW Mazda National Sales Champion.
For more information, please visit http://lentuo.investorroom.com/
About Bitauto Holdings Limited
Bitauto Holdings Limited (NYSE: BITA) is a leading provider of internet content and marketing services for China's fast-growing automotive industry. Bitauto manages its businesses in four segments: the bitauto.com advertising business, the EP platform business, the taoche.com business, and the digital marketing solutions business.
The Company's bitauto.com advertising business offers automakers and dealers a variety of advertising services through its bitauto.com website, which provides consumers with up-to-date new automobile pricing and promotional information, specifications, reviews and consumer feedback. The Company's EP platform business provides web-based integrated digital marketing and customer relationship management (CRM) applications to new automobile dealers in China. The platform enables dealer subscribers to create their own online showrooms, list pricing and promotional information, provide dealer contact information, place advertisements and manage customer relationships to help them effectively market their automobiles to consumers. The Company's taoche.com business provides listing services to used automobile dealers that enable them to display used automobile inventory information on the taoche.com website and partner websites. The Company provides advertising services to used automobile dealers and automakers with certified pre-owned automobile programs on its taoche.com website. The Company's digital marketing solutions business provides automakers with one-stop digital marketing solutions, including website creation and maintenance, online public relations, online marketing campaigns and advertising agent services.
For more information, please visit ir.bitauto.com.
About Youxinpai (Beijing) Information Technology Co., Ltd.
UXIN is the leading professional auto auction service provider in China. The company's core product "Youxinpai.com" is an online auction platform providing a one-stop service offerings, which include online auctions, vehicle evaluations, safe payment methods, after-sales services and long-distance logistics support. The online sales platform provides the most effective used cars auction services to authorized auto dealers, used car dealers and car owners.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "target," "going forward," "outlook" and similar statements. Such statements are based upon management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable law.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Jiangyu Luo
CFO
Lentuo International Inc.
Telephone +8610--87358388
Email: LAS.Beijing@lentuo.net
Christensen
Mr. Christian Arnell
Telephone +86 10 5900 1548
Email: carnell@christensenir.com
Ms. Linda Bergkamp
Phone: +1-480-614-3004 (U.S.A.)
Email: lbergkamp@christensenir.com
