Alfa Romeo Changes Milano Name After Italian Government Ban

Excited for the Alfa Romeo Milano, the transformative EV meant to usher Italy's beloved premium performance brand into a new age? Well, too bad. The Alfa Romeo Milano is dead just a week after its reveal. In its place comes the Alfa Romeo Junior, identical in every way but the new nameplate.

After a run of five full days, the Milano badge has apparently met an unceremonious end at the hands of the Italian government. In a statement with unusual candor, the brand says that the name Milano "is banned by law" in Italy. While Alfa "[believes] that the name meets all legal requirements, and that there are issues much more important than the name of a new car," the company is choosing to re-badge the Milano as the Junior before its official sale "in the spirit of promoting mutual understanding."