Marko Hanželic
Fiat has come up with a new one ad for the 500e model, which can also be interpreted as an indirect response to the recent Stellantis problems with the Italian authorities. In the 30-second clip, the electric car is shown unmarked, and the ad proves that it can still be recognized by anyone.
Advertisement "Fiat | No Logo”, showing an unmarked 500e, was shared on the automaker's own YouTube channel. The author removed from the nose emblem 500, and a Fiat badge from the tailgate, leaving the other two holes exposed. Besides, he was inscription 500e removed from the chrome trim below the side windows, although the center caps appear to be uncovered.
With slightly emotional music in the background, we can hear Italian storyteller, which says: "If this car didn't have a logo, if it didn't have a name, if it didn't have a flag. If he didn't have anything to say what he was or where he came from, everyone would recognize him. Because if a car has an iconic shape and has always represented the joy of life, it can only be Italian and only Fiat".
At first glance, it appears to be a clever way to emphasize the design of an electric vehicle that takes a lot of inspiration from the classic Fiat 500 and its modern reinterpretation from 2007. But a little context reveals that the message runs deeper.
Italian government has been somewhat tough on Stellantis in recent months as it sought to pressure the auto giant to increase production at its Italian factories. The first blow was the forced name change of the compact SUV Alfa Romeo from Milano to Junior shortly after its premiere. Under Italian law, it was illegal for a model to be produced on Poland, named after the city Milan.
The second blow was when the Italian authorities in to the port of Livorno seized 134 examples of the vehicle Fiat Topolino. This time the cause of the problem was a small sticker with the Italian flag. According to the prosecutor, the three-color label could mislead consumers about the origin of the imported product. Fiat said they intended to communicate that it was Mickey mouse designed in Turin, but they quickly complied with orders.
It is important to note that there have been cases in the past when imported models of the Fiat brand wore Italian colors, but the competent authorities did not oppose this. This suggests that the reason for all the drama is most likely the relationship between Stellantis and the current Italian government.
The tension seems to ease after it does stellantis announced the extension of the production of the second generation of the model Fiat Panda in the factory Pomigliano by 2030 and confirmation of the new Fiat 500 Ibrida (mild hybrid version of the electric 500e) to be built at the factory mirafiori in Turin. This will certainly allow the models to retain their markings - and perhaps add some Italian flags to them.
