Modena buffers Xiaomi, here’s why

Well before the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Ursoit was headed complaints on the name of Alfa Romeo (which has always had the Cross of Saint George of Milan and the Biscione dei Visconti in its emblem) “Milano”, which later became Junior following his intervention, there had already been a councilor of the Milanese municipality who had objected: “Just as I was thinking of presenting an agenda to prevent SUVs from entering Milan, here comes Alfa Romeo calling Milan its next SUV. Heck, I’m sorry to ruin April’s presentation for you, but maybe you could play with creativity and rename it iononentroaMILANO” the municipal councilor had written about him on social media last December, Marco Mazzei, which has always been hostile to the automotive sector. A controversy that Four wheels, in turn not too in line with the closure to cars decided by the latest Milanese councils, had branded it “absurd”. But no one had given it too much weight and, if the government had not taken action, the councilor’s joke would probably have had the longevity he deserved.

With the Meloni executive’s attack on Stellantis (the parties, we remember, have been engaged for over a year at a table through which Carlos Tavares hopes to have bonuses and state subsidies, while the State wants the group’s production in Italy, now down to 600 thousand units, to reach 1.3 million cars a year) it was only a matter of time before the question of names became a battleground between the 8 thousand Italian bell towers and the national and foreign car manufacturers, given that our country has always – as we will see shortly – inspired marketing professionals committed to naming four-wheeled models.

A MODENA MADE IN CHINA

Xiaomi Modena had also caused us some doubts over a year ago when talking about the MS11 sedan, code-named Modena, whose name suggested that the ambitions of the electronics giant went well beyond the Chinese borders. In this regard we had written: the Chinese company’s intention is clear “to also ensnare European drivers with a style that would recall that of the cars from the Emilian Motor Valley”. We also remember that there is already a four-wheeled Modena: the Ferrari 360. Can two cars, although of different brands, have the same name?

WHAT MAYOR MUZZARELLI SAID

Now, report back The newspaperthe mayor stepped directly into the competition – or rather onto the track Gian Carlo Muzzarelliwho in inaugurating the sixth Motor Valley Fest, lashed out against the hi-tech brand that comes from the East: “The Chinese group did not inform us at all or ask for permission – explained Muzzarelli – Using the Modena brand to develop and promoting a Chinese product, therefore not from our territory and not produced here, in the Motor Valley, I believe is a mistake and an offense”.

MODENA THREATENS TO SUE XIAOMI MODENA

“Modena – he added – deserves to be valorised as a brand and for the products of a unique territory in the world”. In short, this is the line of the mayor whose electoral race was supported by the Pd, +Europa, Sinistra per Modena, Federation of the Greens and Modena Solidale but whose ideas coincide perfectly with the sovereignist ones of the Meloni government. The Mayor promises legal disputes: “If the conditions are right, the Municipality of Modena will sue Xiaomi. We need respect: we respect the Chinese and the Chinese must respect Modena”.

SOVEREIGNIST UNIONS

Everyone seems to agree on this. Even the Uilm unions: “If “Milan” changes its name, “Modena” must do so too – the general secretary had already said in mid-April Rocco Palombella – Before opening up to the Chinese it would be appropriate to let our factories work given that in these 3 months they are producing 50% of the production and there are many workers on layoffs, this dispute is something that distracts attention from the real problems”.

Palombella had also taken it out on Alfa Romeo Milano: “Both are a mockery of Italy and the workers. So before changing the name they have to decide how to bring production back to our factories.”

ITALIAN CARS WITH ITALIAN NAMES…

As anticipated, the Alfa Romeo Milano or the Xiaomi Modena were not isolated cases. On the contrary. Staying in the snake’s nest, we had the Stelvio and the Tonale. The MiTo was then the portmanteau of the initials Milan and Turin. Let’s not forget the Ferrari Monza, Portofino and Roma. And we could continue because the list would be long, also including the Lancia (which mainly borrowed names from Roman streets).

…AND FOREIGN CARS THAT ARE NAME AS ITALIAN CITIES

The names of Italian toponymy have also been plundered by foreign brands. The Germans at Opel had created the very forgettable Monza. Historic, however, are the American Ford Capri, Cortina and Torino, to which Clint Eastwood dedicated a film (the car was only the background), Gran Torino. Ford had also christened one of its Lincoln Capri.

In more recent years, Japan dedicated the Nissan Murano to Italy, while the Kia Sorento (yes, with only one ‘r’…) and the Kgm Tivoli arrived from Korea. At the time no one in Italy had said anything, but we still didn’t have the Ministry of Made in Italy…