Fiat Strips Italian Flags From Moroccan-Made Vehicles

Fiat removes Italian flag emblems from its cars landed from the Stellantis production plant in Morocco after police impounded the shipment.

Italy’s fiscal authorities temporarily seized 134 Topolino urban micro-cars at the port of Livorno on the grounds that the emblems suggest the vehicles are made domestically and not at the North African plant, reports Reuters quoting local media sources.

A spokesman for Stellantis tells the local media that the design of the new Topolino, seen as a historic model for Fiat from its introduction in 1936, was conceived and developed in Italy by a team at Centro Stile Fiat. Also pointing out the decision to produce the new model in Morocco had been clear since it was announced.

Italy’s right-wing government has been vocally critical over the Stellantis’ production choices for months, questioning its commitment to the country and saying cars marketed as Italian products should be produced domestically.

Last month, sister brand Alfa Romeo said it would change the name of its “Milano” to “Junior” to end a row with the government, which attacked the choice of an Italian name for a vehicle made in Poland.

In the latest row, a Stellantis spokesman says: “The sole purpose of the sticker was to indicate the entrepreneurial origin of the product. In any case, to resolve any issues, it was decided to intervene on the vehicles with the removal of the small stickers, subject to the green light by the authorities.”