A full batch of FIAT Topolino units has been held back for improper use of the Italian flag

Over the last two decades the Italian Government has already shown on more than one occasion the particular attention it pays to ensuring that any product marketed as Italian really is Italian. In fact, the country’s laws prohibit the import and sale of any product that could confuse consumers into believing that a product manufactured abroad is of Italian origin.

The most recent case affecting the automotive sector came just over a month ago. Stellantis had to rethink the marketing strategy for its first fully electric model and, after launching an costly advertising campaign, was forced to scrap all that work. The Alfa Romeo Milano was finally renamed Junior, since this model had little to do with the well-known northern Italian city, or even with the country as a whole, given that its production was to take place in Poland.

History has repeated itself with the FIAT Topolino. According to a recent report, a full batch of 134 of these microcars, which had been shipped in a container ship to Tuscany, was seized by customs officials on the grounds that the vehicles displayed a small tricolour flag clearly referring to Italy, when in fact it was an imported product.

It only has an Italian name

The FIAT Topolino, like its siblings the Citroën Ami and the Opel Rocks-e, is manufactured in Morocco in order to reduce production costs. Despite this, it nevertheless displays a small flag of the country and a look that is clearly Italian, which has made it a symbol of the Transalpine nation. Something that does not seem to sit well with the Italian Government.

Following this incident, Stellantis has had to speak out again. In statements to the media, a company spokesperson justified the decision, asserting that “the sole purpose of the sticker was to indicate the company of origin of the product“. He went on to explain that, to resolve this misunderstanding, it was decided to remove the tricolour flag stickers from the 134 seized FIAT Topolino units, with the prior authorisation of the authorities.

As of today, it is still unclear what Stellantis’s future marketing strategy for the Topolino will be. Although it would not be surprising if the small Italian flag this microcar has been displaying until now is ultimately removed from all units sold worldwide.