Following an Italian Minister's declaration that the use of the Milano name was illegal, Alfa Romeo's new SUV, slated for production in Poland, faced a legal obstacle. As the vehicle cannot bear an Italian-sounding name due to its manufacturing location, the SUV undergone a renaming, Alfa Romeo Milano will now be called "Junior."

Milano Moniker becomes "Junior"

Alfa Romeo is renaming its upcoming entry-level subcompact crossover. Now called the Junior, the decision comes as a strategic move to avoid conflict with the Italian government. The shift from the "Milano" moniker aligns with legal considerations, as the original name conflicted with laws protecting Italian-sounding names for products made within Italy's borders.

Reported by CarScoops, Alfa Romeo swiftly altered the name following suggestions from an Italian minister that using "Milano" was illegal due to the crossover's non-Italian production. Renamed to evade potential controversy, Alfa Romeo humorously acknowledged the government's inadvertent publicity. The rapid name change occurred less than a week after the introduction of the Alfa Romeo Milano, now rebranded to the Junior.

This unexpected turn of events follows remarks from Adolfo Urso, the Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, who deemed the name illegal. Urso emphasized that a car named Milano cannot be manufactured in Poland, citing laws preventing consumer deception. His assertion implied that labeling the crossover as "Milano" would mislead shoppers into believing it was produced in Milan.

New Name: Origin

The choice of the moniker Alfa Romeo Junior, according to CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato, is in keeping with the brand's rich history and has been well-liked by the public and the company since its launch. The CEO stressed that while it is not required, the choice to rename represents their dedication to maintaining the long-standing favorable perception connected with their products and avoiding any potential controversy.

As per InsideEVs report, Adolfo Urso, Italy's Minister of Economic Development, remarked that a car named Milano cannot be manufactured in Poland, citing Italian law from 2003 aimed at products that falsely claim to be Italian by adopting "Italian sounding" names.

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InsideEVs also cited Reuters report that historically, the Italian government has commonly applied this law to food items such as American-produced "parmesan" cheese, which bears a resemblance to Italy's Parmigiano. Like its American counterpart, the Alfa Romeo Junior is unlikely to be brought to the United States anytime soon.

There are two versions available: a hybrid vehicle with 136 horsepower or an all-electric type with 240 horsepower. Drive reported more about this renaming issue. Alfa Romeo attributed the choice of the Milano name to its historical ties with the city of its foundation in 1910.

Despite this association, the name was bestowed upon the first Alfa Romeo model not manufactured in Italy, but rather in Poland, where it shared its production line with Fiat 600 and Jeep Avenger siblings.

This isn't the inaugural endeavor by Alfa Romeo to revive the Milano name. Previously employed for North American versions of the 1980s 75 sedan, the decision has often led to unintended consequences.

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback, slated to bear the Milano moniker in 2010, underwent a last-minute renaming just three days before its debut. The alteration coincided with the closure of Alfa Romeo's Milan operations and the relocation of 232 design personnel to Fiat's headquarters in Turin.

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