Alfa Romeo revives 'Junior' nameplate for BEV SUV amid 'Milano' controversy over Polish production

After facing backlash from the Italian government for using the name 'Milano', Alfa Romeo has renamed its first compact BEV SUV model to "Junior" - no less bringing back a much-loved nameplate from the mid-60s.

Following its recent debut, the Alfa Romeo 'Milano' nameplate - intended to pay homage to the city where Alfa Romeo was founded - drew ire from Italian officials for having a decidedly Italian name but will be produced in Poland, specifically at the Stellantis Tychy plant. 

Italy's Industry Minister, Adolfo Urso criticised the decision stating, "A car called Milano cannot be produced in Poland. This is forbidden by Italian law. This law stipulates that you cannot give indications that mislead consumers. So, a car called Milano must be produced in Italy. Otherwise, it gives a misleading indication which is not allowed under Italian law."

Despite the Alfa's confidence in their legal standing; the company says there are more pressing issues than the vehicle's name. Thus, the decision reflects a commitment to fostering goodwill and cooperation. The name "Junior" is not new to the brand's heritage, making it a fitting alternative that resonates with Alfa Romeo's storied past.

Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO of Alfa Romeo added, "The choice of the name Alfa Romeo Junior is completely natural, as it is strongly linked to the history of the Brand and has been among our favourites and among the public's favourites since the beginning".

"The attention to our new sports compact that we’ve received the past few days is quite exciting as we had an unprecedented number of visits to the online configurator, causing the website to crash for a couple of hours," he added.

Also read: Stellantis Malaysia to re-launch Jeep and Alfa Romeo

To recap, the Alfa Romeo Junior is a compact entry-level SUV that slots underneath the Tonale and larger Stelvio. Based on the Stellantis e-CMP2 platform, the Junior will be launched initially with two BEV variants delivering 156 PS and 240 PS respectively. 

Both variants are powered by a 54 kWh battery which offers a max driving range of up to 410 km in the base model. The Junior can be charged via 11 kW (AC) and up to 100 kW via DC charging.

A third hybrid variant is expected to join later - featuring a (134 PS) 1.2-litre naturally aspirated 3-cylinder engine that is aided by a 28 PS starter-generator. 

Also read: Introducing the Alfa Romeo Tonale in Malaysia: Not the Alfa your dad told you about

 Order books for the Alfa Romoe Junior will open in Europe in Q3 2024.