In response to a dispute with the Italian government over the name of a sport utility vehicle produced in Poland, Stellantis NV has decided to rename the car from Alfa Romeo 'Milano' to 'Junior.' The decision comes as a conciliatory gesture after Industry Minister Adolfo Urso criticized Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares for the misleading name, sparking tensions between the carmaker and the government.
Stellantis announced the name change on Monday, emphasizing the move as a step towards easing the strained relationship with the Italian authorities. Tavares explained that the company swiftly made the decision to alter the name over the weekend, stating, "It's a signal of appeasement — we have a big library of names."
The Alfa Romeo 'Milano' controversy is just one of several issues that have fueled tensions between Stellantis and the Italian government. Disputes arose following Stellantis' plans to cut jobs in Italy and relocate production to lower-cost facilities. Last week, the conflict escalated as thousands of Italians rallied with striking workers near the carmaker's base in Turin, anticipating further job losses.
Addressing the name change, Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato expressed the company's perspective, saying, "We think the Milano name fully complies with the law, but we decided to change that name to promote a climate of detente." The renaming of the SUV from 'Milano' to 'Junior' reflects Stellantis' commitment to fostering a more cooperative relationship with the Italian government amidst ongoing challenges in the automotive industry.