During the presentation of the new Lancia Ypsilon, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares couldn’t resist making a cutting remark aimed at the Italian government: “The Greek government is very happy that we are naming the new Lancia Ypsilon this way.” The reference to the recent controversy over the Alfa Romeo Milano name, which arose due to its production in Poland, was evident. Following the controversy, the brand decided to change the name of the new entry-level model to Junior.
Lancia Ypsilon: Carlos Tavares responds, once again, to the Italian government’s criticism on the Alfa Romeo Milano issue
“Despite the criticism, we continue to move forward to celebrate Lancia’s extraordinary history and shape its future. The new Ypsilon was conceived in Turin and developed in Balocco, an aspect that I consider an added value,” said Carlos Tavares.
“In January 2021, when we founded Stellantis, Lancia was on the brink of disappearance. It was evident that there was a lack of a production plan, a vision for the future, and no investments planned to revitalize the brand,” Tavares stated, emphasizing that the design remains Italian even though Lancia vehicles are produced in Spain. “We decided that it would not be respectful to the history and value of such a prestigious Italian brand,” explained the Stellantis CEO. “So we decided to act, not to allow that to happen, to avoid the brand’s disappearance. We decided to give Lancia a new future and relaunch the brand.”
During the event, Lancia confirmed that it will bring two more models to market in the coming years. The new Lancia Gamma will debut in 2026, while the new Lancia Delta will arrive in 2028. Both models, as well as the new Lancia Ypsilon, will have HF sports versions. The question now arises spontaneously: is the Alfa Romeo Mil…Junior issue really over?