Alfa Romeo boss Jean-Philippe Imparato has urged European politicians to focus on protecting jobs in the car industry, rather than the names of cars, following a spat that prompted the rebranding of the brand’s new crossover.
The car was rebranded from Milano to Junior just five days after it was revealed, after claims by Italian industry minister Adolfo Urso that it violated an Italian law that geographical names can be used only on products that are produced in Italy.
The crossover will be produced at a Stellantis plant in Tychy, Poland. The law is generally applied to products such as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Urso’s claims followed comments by Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares at the unveiling of the Milano warning the Italian government against offering incentives to Chinese and other foreign firms to establish battery and car production facilities in the country.
Speaking to Autocar, Imparato said the decision to change the name of the Milano was made despite legal advice that the name didn’t violate the law and to avoid being drawn into a political row.
“When they told me it was forbidden by law – it’s not – I said: ‘Calm down: I’m not here to play politics; I’m just here to make an Alfa Romeo that’s sustainable for the future.’”
Noting that the name change “created a buzz I could never have dreamed of”, Imparato said the Milano name was revealed in December and it had been known for years that the car would be produced in Poland alongside the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600e, with which it shares the Stellantis e-CMP platform.
“If I wanted to answer the question of Giuletta and Mito owners who have wanted a B-segment car since 2021, I didn’t have any other solution than to follow the platform,” he added. “I couldn’t invent a local solution.”
Imparato also noted that when Stellantis was formed in January 2021, Alfa was losing “hundreds of millions of euros” but is now profitable and that the next-generation Stelvio SUV and Giulia saloon, due in 2025 and 2026, would be built in Italy.