After a long break from broadcasting, Alfa Romeo is releasing a new model. However, a curious name dispute is forcing the traditional manufacturer from Italy to take drastic measures.
Turin/Munich - In times of globalization, car manufacturers often produce abroad. Even the Italian cult brand Alfa Romeo is not immune to this development in order to save costs in production and thus make models cheaper for end customers.
After a two-year break, the manufacturer is launching the new Alfa Romeo Milano model. But shortly before the market launch, the parent company is forced to take drastic measures: the name for the SUV is changed without further ado.
Alfa Romeo produces abroad: dispute between Stellantis and Italy
The reason is a name dispute initiated by the right-wing conservative Italian government. Industry Minister Adolfo Urso is referring to a law that was passed in 2003 under former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi: It stipulates that “Italian-sounding” products must also be made in Italy. If this is not the case, it would be falsely claimed that production takes place on the Apennine Peninsula.
And that applies to the planned Alfa Romeo Milano: Instead of being manufactured in Italy, the vehicle will be manufactured in the Polish factory in Tychy and from there exported to other countries - including its actual homeland. Contrary to some experts - including Stellantis himself - the government under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is of the opinion that the regulation does not only apply to the food sector, but also applies to domestic brands of cars. “You must not provide information that misleads consumers. “So a car with the name Milano has to be made in Italy,” argues Urso.
Junior instead of Milano: New model from Alfa Romeo gets a new name
Due to the naming dispute with the government, Alfa Romeo is now giving in and renaming the recently introduced new car, so that the model series will be called Alfa Romeo Junior in the future. In a statement, Stellantis said: “We are fully aware that this moment will go down in the history of Alfa Romeo. The choice of the model name Junior is logical as it is closely linked to the history of our brand. (...) We have decided to change the name, although we are not obliged to do so.”
The company explains in the published press release that it wants to “avoid any controversy” and that the attention in the wake of the conflict with the Italian government has been “overwhelming”. In the meantime, the website even crashed due to the massive flood of users. “Milano”, the Italian name for the city of Milan, is the birthplace of the car manufacturer ALFA (“Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili”), which was renamed Alfa Romeo in 1918 as part of a takeover.
Italy: Government criticizes Stellantis for relocating production
What makes the name change even more annoying from the perspective of many brand fans: The model name Milano was chosen in a vote by the public to honor the city where the history of Alfa Romeo began in 1910. This hype initiated by the marketing department was now completely in vain. A short-term relocation of production from Poland to Italy was probably not an issue due to cost reasons.
Regardless of the name dispute, Stellantis has been at loggerheads with the Italian government for a long time: Stellantis is criticized for the fact that the international multi-brand company assembles Italian cars and the supplied components abroad instead of at home.
According to
Reuters
, the state wants to oblige Stellantis to produce at least one million cars a year in Italy. In addition to Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Abarth, Lancia and Maserati, other traditional brands in the country are under the corporate umbrella. The topic of production relocation is also omnipresent in Germany.
(PF)