Here come the first effects of the “chance” from the Fiat Topolino stops at customs because of Italian flag exposed on one side. To avoid further problems, the Stellantis Group, of which the Fiat brand is part, has taken a drastic decision: the Fiat600 will not have the Italian flag logo, which enriched the rear logo. This is a preventive move that aims to avoid further controversies that could damage the marketing of the crossover. The link between Stellantis and Italy continues to be complicated.
Fiat is ahead of the game
Theregoodbye to the Italian flag on the Fiat 600 is, therefore, a way for Fiat to be ahead of the game, aiming to avoid further controversy after the events of recent months and a certainly not idyllic relationship with the Government. In recent days, a batch of Fiat Topolino, an electric quadricycle produced in Morocco, was blocked at the port of Livorno. The accusation is of selling industrial products with false signs, due to a sticker of the Italian flag (small in size) on the bodywork.
Stellantis, in recent months, has also had to deal with another media case: the debut ofAlfa Romeo Milanin fact, was accompanied by criticism from government officials due to the choice of name (linked to Alfa Romeo’s roots) for a model that is produced outside Italy. The criticisms pushed Alfa Romeo to change the name of your SUV.
A symbol of delocalization
The Fiat 600 is a model that could generate controversy similar to those mentioned previously. The crossover, unveiled last summer, is one of the main projects for the future of Fiat but, unlike the Fiat 500X, produced in Melfi, it is not made in Italy but in Tychy plant in Polandthe historic production site of the Fiat 500 (but not in the electric version, produced in Mirafiori) and the factory where Stellantis also creates the Jeep Avenger as well as the Alfa Romeo Junior, the new name of the Milano, taking advantage of the group’s CMP platform.
The risk of new controversies was high. The Fiat 600, in fact, is one of symbols of relocation of Stellantis’ production, which looks with less and less interest at its production activities in Italy. The Group has invested significantly in the Polish plant which was entrusted with the production of the new family of B-SUVs of the brands that were part of the FCA Group (Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Fiat and Abarth). The choice to eliminate the flag from the bodywork represents an attempt to calm the waters for the Italian company.
Both the Fiat Topolino and the Fiat 600, although not produced in Italy, were, however, developed in Turinfrom the Fiat Style Center, as noted by Stellantis after the case of the Topolino cars stopped in Livorno. To avoid further problems (and not to damage the sales of its models in Italy with negative publicity), the company has chosen to remove the Italian flag which, at this point, could only be re-proposed on models produced in our country, such as the 500 Electric or the eternal Fiat Panda, made in the Pomigliano d’Arco factory.
