The controversy arose due to the vehicles being manufactured in Morocco. Officials claimed the stickers of the Italian flag, placed on the side of each car, misled consumers into believing the cars were made in Italy.

This move aligns with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government intensifying its stance against products falsely presenting as Italian. Business minister Adolfo Urso stated that the misuse of the Italian flag symbol was an illegal attempt to deceive customers, The Times reports.

Fiat’s marketing often touts the brand as a symbol of Italian lifestyle, which “spread Italianness around the world” with claims such as experiencing the “dolce vita” simply by driving a Fiat.