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Join on Telegram Rabat – Dozens of Fiat Topolinos have been seized at the port of Livorno. The vehicles, which bear the Italian national flag, were found to have been assembled in Morocco.
The financial police’s actions are likely due to violations of the Made in Italy law, which mandates strict origin labeling for products branded as Italian, reports Bloomberg.
The law had previously led Stellantis to rebrand its Alfa Romeo Milano sports car to Junior.
The dispute arose as a result of a small Italian flag sticker on the Fiat Topolinos. Stellantis maintains that the sticker was added because the project for the new Topolino was developed in Turin, not as an indication of the vehicle’s assembly location.
The carmaker has pledged to remove the stickers to comply with the law, insisting it has always been transparent about the cars’ manufacturing origins.
The conflict between Italy’s government and Stellantis extends beyond labeling issues. The government has been at odds with the carmaker over its plans to cut jobs in Italy and shift production to countries with lower labor costs.
Last month, thousands of Italians joined striking workers near Stellantis’ base in Turin, protesting anticipated layoffs.
The original Fiat Topolino, which translates to Little Mouse, was one of Italy’s first mass-produced vehicles in the 1930s. The modern version of this iconic car is set to be priced from $10,775.
Stellantis is not only dealing with domestic regulatory challenges but is also actively expanding its global footprint.
Earlier this month, the carmaker announced plans to sell cars made by its Chinese partner Leapmotor in Europe, aiming to reduce the cost of electric vehicles.
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