After the new Lancia Ypsilon was discovered stolen and recovered from the bottom of a river, Stellantis continued its tumultuous launches. It is this time at Alfa Romeo that the presentation of a new model turns into a fiasco. Unveiled barely five days ago after a long communication campaign centered on its name, partly chosen by the public, the Alfa Romeo Milano must finally change its name.
The brand’s new city SUV is not only its first model to be offered in a 100% electric version. This cousin of the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600 is also the first Alfa Romeo car to be produced outside Italy. Despite its name referring to the brand’s hometown, it will be assembled in Poland, in Tychy, alongside its colleagues.
But this relocation does not please the Italian government at all, which already has tense relations with Stellantis, and in particular the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso. The latter reminded Alfa Romeo that“a car called Milano cannot be produced in Poland. It is prohibited by Italian law”explaining “that it is prohibited to give information that misleads consumers. Thus, a car called Milano must be produced in Italy” (source: Automotive News Europe).
For Stellantis, however, there is no question of repatriating the production of its SUV to Italy. “If it had been made in Italy, the Milano would have been sold from €40,000 instead of €30,000, which would have limited its potential on the market”had already defended Carlos Tavares, CEO of the group (source: Automotive News Europe).
A new name for “avoid any type of controversy”
So, as Alfa Romeo titles its latest press release, “The name Milano doesn’t fit? So it will be Junior!” The brand preferred to opt for a new name, which still echoes its history, but avoids any allusion to Italy. It was inaugurated in 1966 by the GT 1300 Junior.
“We have decided to change our name, even though we know we are not obliged to do so, because we want to preserve the positive emotion that our products have always aroused and avoid any type of controversy”, explains Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO of Alfa Romeo. However, the damage has already been done since the production in Poland of the Milano has not gone unnoticed at all, as its manufacturer would have liked. It remains to be seen whether the model’s customers will be sensitive to it, knowing that Alfists are probably not the target of this hybrid and electric SUV anyway.