Less than a week after the launch of Alfa Romeo’s Milano, the Italian car manufacturer has decided to change the name of the new model to Junior. The Milano, initially a compact crossover, faced pressure from the Italian government for a name change due to it being manufactured outside of Italy. Adolfo Urso, the Italian Minister of Entrepreneurship, expressed satisfaction with the decision as the use of Italian brand names on products made outside of Italy is prohibited by a 2003 law.
The government’s aim is to ensure that Stellantis, the car conglomerate that Alfa Romeo is now a part of, produces at least one million cars in Italy. This move aligns with the government’s goal of promoting Italian manufacturing. Alfa Romeo responded to the name change with resignation, stating that they decided to make the change to avoid controversy and preserve the positive image of their products.
The new name, Junior, has historical significance related to the brand and was inspired by a version of the GT 1300 model from 1966. Alfa Romeo mentioned that producing the new Junior in Italy would have made it significantly more expensive. The company thanked the government for the attention brought by the name change discussion.
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