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Italy forces Alfa Romeo Milano name change — call it Junior now

The Alfa Romeo Milano is no more, and in its place lies the Alfa Romeo Junior. This tiny Alfa crossover – that wonÂ’t be sold in the U.S. – was only revealed just last week, but Alfa has already been forced to change the name at the request of the Italian government. WhyÂ’s Italy telling its beloved Alfa Romeo brand it canÂ’t use the “Milano” name? It comes down to where the car is being built, and the Milano/Junior will be built at AlfaÂ’s plant in Tychy, Poland. According to ItalyÂ’s Industry Minister, Adolfo Urso, “A car called Milano cannot be produced in Poland. This is against the law.” Said law aims to stop the sale of products that have Italian-sounding names but are not actually produced in Italy. "This law stipulates that you cannot give indications that mislead consumers,” Urso continued. “So a car called Milano must be produced in Italy. Otherwise, it gives a misleading indication which is not allowed under Italian law." Alfa Romeo sent out a press release today in response to the government criticism, agreeing to change the MilanoÂ’s name to Junior. That said, Alfa had plenty to say and still believes the Milano name to be a lawful one. “Despite Alfa Romeo believing that the name met all legal requirements and that there are issues much more important than the name of a new car, Alfa Romeo has decided to change it from “Milano” to “Alfa Romeo Junior” in the spirit of promoting mutual understanding,” the companyÂ’s statement reads. “The Alfa Romeo team would like to thank the public for the positive feedback, the Italian dealer network for their support, journalists for the enormous media attention given to the new car, and the government for the free publicity brought on by this debate." The name Milano was actually chosen through feedback from the public, as Alfa polled ItalyÂ’s citizens on what it believed the little SUV should be called. “Milano” was the winning name, and it makes a whole lot of sense considering AlfaÂ’s history began in Milan, Italy. Of course, “Junior” speaks to AlfaÂ’s history, as well, harkening back to 1966 with the Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior. Course, none of this has much of an impact for what weÂ’ll see on Alfa Romeo lots in the U.S., as the Junior wonÂ’t be sold here. ItÂ’s an entertaining turn of events, though, and if youÂ’re curious to read AlfaÂ’s response in its entirety, you can find it here.

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Drivers' Notes | Italy's last savior

Alfa Romeo may be beloved by enthusiasts, but the brand has always had a rough go in the United States. Sure, we may look back fondly now at cars like the Spider, Milano and Giulia, but those models never had the impact of their German or British rivals. Slow sales and a reputation for poor reliability killed Alfa in the U.S. more than two decades ago. The automaker is back with cars like the 4C, Giulia and, most important, the 2018 Stelvio crossover. The Stelvio needs to sell well if Alfa has any hope of staying alive in America. Sure, it may not be as sharp or as handsome as the Giulia, but the market demands crossovers, so that's what it'll get. The Stelvio is jumping into a tough and highly contested segment. Rivals like the Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class are all strong competitors with handsome styling and sporty driving dynamics. The Stelvio is going to have to really shine to make a dent. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: The Alfa Romeo Stelvio feels very much like a bigger, taller Giulia. While this does mean that it feels a bit less nimble and frisky, it also means that it's one of the best drivers in its class. Under the hood is the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 280 horsepower. It feels just right for this crossover. It's happy to sit at low rpm on the highway, but also delivers brisk acceleration when tromping on the gas. It even sounds good, providing a growly snorty sound when accelerating. It's sort of like a grown-up version of the engine in the Fiat 500 Abarth. Ride and handling are well-balanced, too. Steering is very quick, and the whole vehicle feels remarkably light. It leans significantly more than the Giulia in turns. But as crossovers go, the Stelvio is a great handler. The ride is on the stiff side, but far from punishing. I do wish the steering was a little heavier, and that the weight built up more progressively. It feels a little less communicative than I'd prefer. The Giulia connection continues inside, but this time we wish they weren't so similar. Though the dashboard is an attractive shape, there are quite a few low-rent plastics strewn about. A number of the knobs feel chintzy, too. There's not a lot of knee room up front, either, and the seat could use a few more adjustment options. One thing the Stelvio's interior nails, though, are those wonderful shift paddles.

Stellantis reveals STLA Large platform with EV and ICE support

Hot on the heels of a Jeep Wagoneer S teaser and photos of the prototype next-generation Dodge Charger (or Challenger), comes a reveal and details of what will likely underpin both of them: the STLA Large platform. It's one of multiple Stellantis flexible architectures that will be the basis of its upcoming electric cars, and apparently internal combustion ones, too. Stellantis says the STLA Large platform will be for D- and E-segment cars, crossovers and SUVs. In other words, it will be for midsize and large vehicles. For reference, lengths supported will be from 187.6 to 201.8 inches, and width will range from 74.7 to 79.9 inches. It will be highly flexible, too, with Stellantis claiming significant amounts of adjustability in overhangs, wheelbase, suspension placement and powertrain arrangement. The powertrain flexibility is quite impressive. Front-, rear- and all-wheel-drive layouts will be supported. Single- and dual-motor layouts will be on offer. Internal combustion will be available, too, either on its own or as a hybrid. Apparently engines can be fitted either longitudinally or transversely, too. Battery packs with between 85 and 118 kWh of capacity will be offered, with Stellantis claiming that sedan-style vehicles could have a range of up to 500 miles. The packs will also be available in 400- and 800-volt designs. Stellantis noted also that the platform can "easily accept future energy storage technologies when they reach production readiness." This seems to hint that the company is looking at different battery chemistries and maybe even solid-state batteries that could be added more easily in the future. Furthermore, the platform is designed to handle impressive output. Stellantis says that some models on the platform will have 0-to-62 mph times in the 2-second range. Limited-slip differentials for improved power delivery and wheel-end disconnects for reduced mechanical drag are also on the table for this platform. All of these details fit well with the information previously given for the concept Dodge Charger Daytona Banshee and Jeep Wagoneer S. The former was previewed with both battery voltage architectures and a wide range of electric powertrains with between 456 and 670 horsepower depending on specification and upgrades. And that's just for the 400-volt system; the 800-volt option wasn't detailed. We've also seen photos of the Charger chassis seemingly with provisions for gas engines, likely versions of the Hurricane I6.