Italian government clashes with Stellantis over national branding

A "war" is ongoing in Italy as the Italian government battles against Italian car brands that are now part of the Stellantis group. According to Italian law, selling a product bearing the Italian flag is not permitted if it is not manufactured in an Italian factory. Herein lies the issue.

Italy demands greater involvement from Fiat within the country, and the government is displeased with Stellantis’ decision to move production to other nations. Under local law, no car can bear symbols or names associated with Italy if not domestically produced.

Recently, 134 units of the Fiat Topolino were confiscated in Italy, as they arrived carrying the Italian flag symbol despite being produced in Morocco. A minor scandal also erupted over the Alfa Romeo Milano, the latest model from this brand, manufactured in Poland. The issue here was the Italian name, which violates Italian regulations. Consequently, this model is now known as the Alfa Romeo Junior.

Fiat 600 and 600e will also undergo changes. These cars bear the Italian flag symbol, yet they are manufactured in Tychy, Poland. Green, white, and red accents appear on the rear bumper.

It is a minor detail, but it is not compliant with the law and will need to be removed. Theoretically, it would be sufficient not to place these symbols on cars exported solely to the Italian market. However, Stellantis may completely abandon this decoration to avoid producing two different bumpers.