ROME – The Stellantis car giant has decided to change the name of its new Alfa Romeo Milano SUV to Junior after a squabble with Made in Italy Minister Alfredo Urso who lambasted the former Fiat company for their cheekily choosing an Italian name for a vehicle produced abroad. The new car, produced in a factory in Tychy, Poland, is the first ever Alfa Romeo car to be entirely built outside of Italy.

  “A car called Milano cannot be produced in Poland. This is prohibited by law,” Urso said in reference to legislation which aims to stop products that “sound Italian” from falsely claiming to be Italian. “So, a car called Milano must be produced in Italy. Otherwise, it gives misleading information which is not allowed in Italian law,” spluttered Urso.

 The Stellanis CEO, Carlos Tavares, refused to comment directly, reiterating that production taking place in Poland will reduce the price of each SUV by 10,000 euros.

 Alfa Romeo’s CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato, said “We are fully aware that this episode will remain engraved in the history of the brand. It is a great responsibility but at the same time it is an exciting time. The choice of the new name, Junior, is very natural, being strongly linked to the history of the brand and having been from the beginning among our favourites of the public.”

“We decided to change, not because we were obligated to do so, because we want to preserve the positive emotions that our products have always generated and to avoid any kind of controversy.”

 The president of the Union of Consumer Protection pressure group, Matina Donini, supported Urso’s decision.

  “Alfa Romeo, a brand which evokes Italian history and culture, finds itself at the centre of a debate which touches the heart of the industrial identity of our country. The decision to call a car the name of an Italian city, a symbol of style and design, while producing it abroad, raises important questions related to the concept of ‘Italian sounding’ in a phenomenon in the agri-food sector, but which now seems to be spreading to the automotive industry.”

 “Minister Urso’s question is well posed and makes us reflect. Firm action is needed to ensure that the value attributed to Made in Italy is indeed deserved and not weakened by potentially misleading marketing strategies. To ensure that Made in Italy continues to be synonymous with unmistakable and Italian quality and safeguard our industrial heritage.”

  The original Alfa Romeo Junior model was produced on Sept. 26 1966 in Balocco with the name GT 1300 Junior.The new model will sport a two-shaft engine, an updated body, and a maximum speed of 170 kph. 

  lw