5WPR CEO Ronn Torossian discusses how Maserati is taking aim at Porsche.

1. Masera&
Takes
Aim
at
Porsche

2. When
it
comes
to
high-­‐performance
coupes,
both
Porsche
and
Jaguar
have
legions
of
loving
and
dedicated
fans.
But
now,
according
to
Ronn
Torossian,
there’s
a
new
player
on
the
scene
that
should
create
a
rather
interes&ng
automo&ve
love
triangle.
Masera&
recently
introduced
the
Alfieri
coupe,
a
2016
model
that
seems
clearly
aimed
at
stealing
market
share
from
Porsche’s
vaunted
911
and
Jag’s
adored
F-­‐Type.
When
Masera&
presented
a
version
of
the
Alfieri
at
the
recent
Geneva
Motor
Show,
high-­‐performance
car
fans
ignited.

3. Some
of
the
reasons
to
love
the
Alfieri
include
404
horsepower
right
out
of
the
gate,
with
op&ons
that
can
crank
that
power
up
to
either
444
or
an
asphalt
boiling
510.
Fortunately,
the
standard
all-­‐wheel
drive
will
allow
the
Alfieri
to
hug
that
scorched
asphalt
every
inch
of
the
way.
Not
that
long
ago,
Masera&
pledged
to
move
75,000
cars
a
year
by
2018,
but
brand
reps
insist
the
Alfieri
is
not
the
car
to
make
that
happen.
Instead,
their
new
performance
coupe
is
slated
to
be
a
low-­‐volume
model,
more
of
a
shock
and
awe
campaign
to
illuminate
the
en&re
Masera&
line.

4. Take
note,
brand
managers.
This
is
an
excellent
strategy
when
you
are
repping
a
brand
with
a
perennial
seat
on
the
outside
looking
in.
Yes,
Masera&
has
a
dedicated
core
of
fans,
but
not
nearly
the
raving
and
raging
fan
base
of
its
closest
compe&tors.

5. This
is
partly
because
Masera&
has
always
been
about
“exclusivity
and
luxury.”
It’s
the
brand
that
doesn’t
want
to
be
popular
with
all
the
people…just
all
the
right
people.
S&ll,
those
“exclusive”
people
tend
to
have
the
cash
to
be
very
selec&ve,
and
they
oZen
buy
with
flash
and
panache
in
mind…at
least
as
much
as
performance.
Given
that
market
reality,
Masera&
has
to
step
out
of
its
We’re
For
the
Select
Few
mold
and
aggressively
go
aZer
those
coveted
“few.”

6. The
Alfieri
should
get
them
looking,
more
than
once,
not
just
at
the
Alfieri
but
at
the
en&re
Masera&
line.
Exposing
the
“right
people”
to
all
that
you
offer
can
help
raise
the
water
level
across
your
en&re
brand.
You
will
a^ract
poten&al
customers
who
may
not
want
your
“grabber”
product,
but
might
fall
in
love
with
something
else
you
offer…something
they
would
not
have
otherwise
given
a
first,
much
less
a
second,
thought.