The Italian government against Alfa Romeo

• Published date: 16 April 2024
• Author: KEINAN COHEN/WALLA
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

And this story is definitely a noteworthy example. The new Alfa Romeo model, the Milano, named after the city of Alfa Romeo's birth, whose symbol, the flag with the red cross on a white background and the snake swallowing a human of the Visconti family, appears on the company's logo

On the importance of the model to this manufacturer in terms of its ability to survive and its place in its grand 10-year plan, you can read here. But this model, despite all its importance, may face its first obstacle before entering its official production. Why?

One of the Milano's goals in Alfa's offering is to generate profit margins that will ensure the manufacturer's survival. That's why it uses a shared platform with other versions of the group, that's why it's offered in two modest driving versions, and for the same cost-saving reasons, it's supposed to be produced in Poland.

Meet Adolfo Urso, the Italian Industry Minister who shortly after the launch of the model last week, announced through his office that building the model outside of Italy constitutes a violation of the law. It turns out that there is such a law in the Italian legal statutes that prohibits the production of products bearing an Italian name or identity outside of Italy.

"A car called 'Milano' cannot be manufactured in Poland," he stated, "the law stipulates that customers should not be misled regarding the product name. So, a car named Milano must be built in Italy. Otherwise, it would be considered deception, which is prohibited by Italian law."

Contrary to the patriotic fervor and concern for customers, behind the scenes of the sudden Italian adherence to the rules, there is a complex economic struggle the government is facing to keep job opportunities in Italy.

Car manufacturing is one of the most significant driving forces in the Italian economy historically, and the Italian...