The Alfa Romeo Milano is not any extra, and as a substitute lies the Alfa Romeo Junior. This tiny Alfa crossover – that gained’t be bought within the U.S. – was solely revealed simply final week, however Alfa has already been compelled to alter the identify on the request of the Italian authorities.
Why’s Italy telling its beloved Alfa Romeo model it may possibly’t use the “Milano” identify? It comes right down to the place the automobile is being constructed, and the Milano/Junior shall be constructed at Alfa’s plant in Tychy, Poland. In accordance with Italy’s Trade Minister, Adolfo Urso, “A automobile referred to as Milano can’t be produced in Poland. That is towards the regulation.” Mentioned regulation goals to cease the sale of merchandise which have Italian-sounding names however are usually not truly produced in Italy.
“This regulation stipulates that you just can’t give indications that mislead customers,” Urso continued. “So a automobile referred to as Milano should be produced in Italy. In any other case, it offers a deceptive indication which isn’t allowed underneath Italian regulation.”
Alfa Romeo despatched out a press launch at present in response to the federal government criticism, agreeing to alter the Milano’s identify to Junior. That mentioned, Alfa had lots to say and nonetheless believes the Milano identify to be a lawful one.
“Regardless of Alfa Romeo believing that the identify met all authorized necessities and that there are points rather more essential than the identify of a brand new automobile, Alfa Romeo has determined to alter it from “Milano” to “Alfa Romeo Junior” within the spirit of selling mutual understanding,” the corporate’s assertion reads.
“The Alfa Romeo group want to thank the general public for the constructive suggestions, the Italian seller community for his or her assist, journalists for the large media consideration given to the brand new automobile, and the federal government for the free publicity introduced on by this debate.”
The identify Milano was truly chosen by means of suggestions from the general public, as Alfa polled Italy’s residents on what it believed the little SUV ought to be referred to as. “Milano” was the profitable identify, and it makes a complete lot of sense contemplating Alfa’s historical past started in Milan, Italy. After all, “Junior” speaks to Alfa’s historical past, as properly, harkening again to 1966 with the Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior.
Course, none of this has a lot of an influence for what we’ll see on Alfa Romeo heaps within the U.S., because the Junior gained’t be bought right here. It’s an entertaining flip of occasions, although, and in case you’re curious to learn Alfa’s response in its entirety, yow will discover it right here.
