Zilly Interior Architecture, Planning and Design: A Driver's Vehicle A cargo van that does what it's supposed to do-and more

Recently, Chevy and Entrepreneur got together to give mobile entrepreneurs across a range of business types the opportunity to test the Chevy City Express LT in real-world conditions. The following is just one example of what these business owners experienced.

Gerald Zilly, founder of Zilly Interior Architecture, Planning and Design, is a textbook entrepreneur. He started his career in 1974, and after 12 years working in the industry, earning high-level spots in larger firms, he decided to launch his own venture in Laguna Niguel, California. In 1986, he started out "with just one drafting board, my baby daughter at my feet, and a dog in the yard. Fortunately, I had one Dutch client who believed in me, and that saw me through the first few months."

Staying with commercial architectural design and office planning, Zilly has made a conscious effort to "keep things small," never growing beyond 10 to 12 employees. During the past seven years, he's scaled back a bit more. "I've just taken on a few select clients myself and serve them properly," he says. "You could say the business is on sort of a "glide path' now."

A van that works

Zilly's initial response to the Chevy City Express is that "it makes sense. "It's great to see U.S. manufacturers going back to a vehicle in which form follows function. It's not about being fancy; it's about a lightweight, compact cargo vehicle with great utility."

An owner of several sports cars and motorcycles, Zilly clearly loves to drive. In that respect, "I'm critical of handling and other key ride characteristics," he notes. "I liked the City Express's turning ability and overall agility. There was no body roll through turns, it held the road nicely, and it felt very safe to me."

It handles a load

While Zilly had the City Express, he decided to put it to good use, moving some furniture out of storage. "I was able to load a table desk, two rotary armchairs, two pull-up chairs, a couple of bankers' boxes, and more," he says. "It had great, clear cargo space and a good, square design. And the low ground clearance and dual side doors made loading and unloading easy.

"Back in the day, when the business was a bit larger, the City Express would have made a great company vehicle," he continues. "There were plenty of times when we'd get office furniture for our clients and need to deliver a chair or two, a desk pedestal, and some finish materials, and do runs a couple of times a day. A car couldn't do it, and a box truck would be too much. The City Express would be a good solution."

If he did use the City Express as a company van, Zilly would add a small, flat, flip-up table for plan review and change, vertical storage for rolled tubes of blueprints and other documents, and additional lighting. "It could be a great construction-design office on wheels," he concludes.

When you own a small business, the road to success can be challenging. But with a reliable partner like the Chevy City Express small cargo van, you can be on the go 24/7, tackling a wide range of tasks. Whatever the job requires, the City Express is built with the perfect form and functionality required to get your job done. With a range of conveniences including 122.7 cubic feet of cargo space, EPA-estimated 24 mpg city*, work-ready features, and a mobile office, the City Express is the small cargo van for businesses with everyday jobs. To learn more about how Chevy City Express can drive the success of your business, visit www.chevrolet.com/cityexpress.

*Cargo and load capacity limited by weight and distribution.