Ralliart

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Ralliart Inc.

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Motorsport Automotive engineering
Founded	April 1984
Headquarters	33-7 Shiba 5-Chome, Minato, Tokyo 108-0014
Key people	Andrew Cowan (founder) (founder) Masao Taguchi (President, Executive Director)
Revenue	¥4,462 million (2005)
Parent	Mitsubishi Motors
Website	Ralliart.com

Ralliart is the high-performance and motorsports division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally racing and off-road racing vehicles, as well as the development of high-performance models and parts available to the public. Ralliart scaled down its business activities in April 2010,^[1] though the brand will continue to be used by Mitsubishi.

Many regional licensees were set up previously. Ralliart Europe was established as Andrew Cowan Motorsports (ACMS) Ltd in 1983 by Andrew Cowan, a driver with the Mitsubishi team who had scored their first international victory in 1972 at the Southern Cross Rally.^[2] His team mate at the same event in 1975 and '76, , set-up Ralliart Australia as the official regional licensee in 1988, after 22 years of experience with the company's cars.^[3] The two have subsequently served as operational bases for Mitsubishi's global motorsport activities, and were responsible for MMC's record of achievement in off-road racing, including the 1998 Manufacturers' Championship in the World Rally Championship, four individual Drivers' Championships for Tommi Mäkinen in 1996–99, and a record twelve wins in the Dakar Rally since 1982.

The company established Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports in Trebur, Germany in November 2002,^[4] and then consolidated the previously independent licensees under this umbrella in 2003, acquiring ACMS Ltd from Cowan while Mitsubishi Motors Australia took over Stewart's operation.^[5][6]

History[]

This section needs expansion. You can help by . (June 2010)

Andrew Cowan's Lancer 1600 GSR, exhibited in 2007.

Revival[]

On May 13, 2021, Mitsubishi executives announced that they would bring back Ralliart as part of a plan.

Dakar Rally[]

This section needs expansion. You can help by . (June 2010)

In 2003, MMSP also purchased the Pont-de-Vaux-based SBM operation, which had been responsible for its cross country rallying activities, to form MMSP SAS.

The team used the Mitsubishi Pajero to win the Dakar Rally every year between 2004 and 2007. After the 2008 running was cancelled, the team developed a new car, the Mitsubishi Racing Lancer, for 2009, but struggled, losing the race to rivals Volkswagen. In 2009, Mitsubishi withdrew from cross-country competition.

In late 2009, Frenchman Nicolas Misslin acquired MMSP SAS and renamed it .

World Rally Championship[]

Ralliart Europe[]

Mitsubishi rally driver Andrew Cowan set up Andrew Cowan Motorsports (ACMS) in 1983 as a European base for Mitsubishi's motorsports activities. Based in Rugby, Warwickshire, it evolved into Ralliart Europe, with support from Mitsubishi's high performance division.

Ralliart Europe entered the World Rally Championship full-time for the first time in 1989, with the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4. The car won in the hands of Mikael Ericsson in Finland and Pentti Airikkala in Great Britain. Mitsubishi finished fourth in the manufacturers' standings in 1989, and third in 1990. Kenneth Eriksson delivered the team its next victory in Sweden in 1991.

The team introduced the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution for the 1993 season, but did not manage to win during the year and only scored two podium finishes. The team developed the Lancer Evolution II and introduced it half-way through the 1994 season, Armin Schwarz scoring a second-placed finish on the cars debut in Greece. The car took its first victory on the following year's Rally Sweden, with Kenneth Eriksson leading home Tommi Mäkinen.

Tommi Mäkinen's Lancer Evolution VI on 2001 Rally Finland.

The Lancer Evolution III was soon introduced, and enjoyed great success in hand of Eriksson in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, Mitsubishi's main focus at the time. Eriksson took the Evolution III to victory on the 1995 Rally Australia, a round of both championships. He finished the WRC season in third place in the standings behind the dominant Subaru World Rally Team pairing of Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz, after the Toyota Castrol Team pairing of Juha Kankkunen and Didier Auriol were excluded from the championship for running illegal turbo restrictors. In 1996, Mäkinen won five out of the nine rounds to win the Drivers' Championship.

The Lancer Evolution IV was introduced for the start of the 1997 season. Mäkinen won four out of 14 rallies to win his and Mitsubishi's second drivers' title. The car won the second and third rounds of the 1998 season, before being replaced by the Lancer Evolution V for the fifth round in Spain. As their rivals Subaru and Ford were competing with the new World Rally Car spec, Mitsubishi continued to develop their cars to the old Group A regulations. Mäkinen took the car to victory in Argentina, which then won the final four events of the season, allowing Mäkinen to win a third straight title, while Mitsubishi were finally able to take their first manufacturers' title, thanks to two victories from Richard Burns.

The team introduced the Lancer Evolution VI for the opening round of the 1999, complete with sponsorship from Marlboro. Mäkinen won in Monte Carlo on the car's debut and then again on the next round in Sweden. He picked up further wins in New Zealand and Sanremo to record a then record fourth consecutive drivers' title. In 2000, the team struggled against their rivals and their World Rally Cars, Mäkinen only winning once and finishing fifth in the standings.

Mäkinen managed to win three times in 2001, until Mitsubishi introduced the Lancer WRC in Sanremo, having continued running to the old Group A regulations even though their rivals began working with the new WRC regulations from 1997. Both Mäkinen and teammate Freddy Loix struggled with the new car, before Mäkinen suffered a heavy accident that injured his co-driver Risto Mannisenmäki. Two retirements and a sixth-placed finish from the final three rallies meant that Mäkinen missed out on winning the title.

Mäkinen left the team for Subaru for 2002, so François Delecour and Alister McRae were signed to replace him and Loix, who had moved to Hyundai. Both struggled with the car though, McRae managed a fifth-place finish on Rally Sweden, but those were the only points the team would score all season. The team finished last in the manufacturers' points, behind Skoda and Hyundai. Mitsubishi would not compete during the 2003 season as Mitsubishi restructured their motorsports activities.

MMSP[]

Gilles Panizzi driving the Lancer WRC04 at the 2004 Rally Finland.

Mitsubishi Motors at the 2005 Cyprus Rally.

Mitsubishi consolidated their racing activities in 2003, acquiring ACMS Ltd from Cowan while Mitsubishi Motors Australia took over Stewart's operation.^[5][6] This followed the formation of Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports (MMSP) GmbH in Trebur, Germany in November 2002.^[4]

The team signed experienced driver Gilles Panizzi to lead its lineup, and signed the less-experienced trio of Kristian Sohlberg, Gigi Galli and Daniel Solà to share its second car. Panizzi managed to score points on three occasions before the team reduced its programme after ten of 14 rounds, switching their focus to developing their 2005 car. The team did compete on Rally Catalunya, where both Sola and Galli finished in sixth and seventh place respectively.

Mitsubishi returned in 2005 with a developed car, the Lancer WRC05, and had signed Harri Rovanperä to drive one car on all 16 rallies, with Panizzi and Galli sharing the second car. Galli would be entered in a third car on selected events. Panizzi scored Mitsubishi's first podium finish since 2001 on the first event of the season, Monte Carlo. Rovanperä was a regular points scorer, finishing second on Rally Australia, to finish the season seventh in the drivers' standings. Galli scored points on six occasions. Mitsubishi finished fifth in the manufacturers' standings, ahead of Skoda.

At the end of 2005, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation suspended its participation in the WRC. MMSP Ltd supported Galli's Lancer WRC05 entry for the two opening rounds of 2006, in association with Ralliart Italy.

MMSP Ltd. ran two Lancer WRC05s for Toni Gardemeister and Xavier Pons on the first three rounds of the 2007 season, as well as a third car for Juho Hänninen on round three in Norway. It also ran Gardemeister on round five in Portugal alongside Armindo Araujo, and ran Gardemeister and Hänninen in Italy. It ran Urmo Aava in Greece, Finland and New Zealand, the Estonian scoring points in Finland and New Zealand.

In February 2009, MMSP Ltd operations manager John Easton completed a buy-out of the Rugby-based company to form .^[7]

Ralliart, Inc[]

Mitsubishi continues to use the Ralliart name both to sell aftermarket components and as a "halo" brand for higher-performance editions of many of its models.^[8][9] Many of the regional licensees continue to operate. Ralliart Italy prepares Mitsubishi rally cars for Armindo Araujo and the Pirelli Star Drivers in the Production World Rally Championship (PWRC). Ralliart China hold the brand rights for the China territory. Their head office is in Hong Kong but has facilities in different cities within China. They construct competition vehicles to be used in the and , sell competition parts, manage teams and offer technical consultancy to its clients.

In 2012 Benito Guerra Jr. won in México, Argentina and España rallies, plus a second place in Germany. So, the Mexican driver got the PWRC world championship.^[10]

WRC Results[]

Year	Car	No	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	WDC	Points	WMC	Points
1989	Mitsubishi Galant VR-4		Ari Vatanen		87				Ret			Ret				5				40th	8	4th	58
			Kenjiro Shinozuka			18			7	6			7							24th	14
			Jimmy McRae						4											29th*	10*
			Mikael Ericsson									1								4th*	50*
			Ross Dunkerton										Ret							64th*	2*
			Pentti Airikkala													1				14th	20
1990	Mitsubishi Galant VR-4		Kenneth Eriksson	Ret	Ret			Ret			3	Ret			2					8th	27	3rd	56
			Ari Vatanen	Ret	Ret			Ret			2				Ret					16th	15
			Kenjiro Shinozuka			5								Ret						28th	8
			Ross Dunkerton						4			Ret								20th	10
			Patrick Tauziac											1						12th	20
1991	Mitsubishi Galant VR-4		Timo Salonen	8	Ret				Ret			DSQ					4			13th	21	3rd	62
			Kenneth Eriksson	Ret	1				7			3	2				2			5th	66
			Kenjiro Shinozuka				8								1					11th	23
			Ross Dunkerton							Ret			7							40th	4
			Patrick Tauziac												2					15th	15
1992	Mitsubishi Galant VR-4		Timo Salonen	6		5														20th	14	5th	44
			Kenneth Eriksson	Ret		Ret			Ret								7			41st	4
					8							6					11			28th	9
			Kenjiro Shinozuka				10								1					14th	21
			Ross Dunkerton							3			5							16th	20
			Patrick Tauziac												Ret					-	0
1993	Mitsubishi Lancer RS		Armin Schwarz	6		Ret			3		NZL	9				8				12th	23	4th	86
			Kenneth Eriksson	4		5			Ret		NZL	5				2				6th	41
			Kenjiro Shinozuka				Ret				NZL									-	0
			Ross Dunkerton								NZL Ret		4							24th	10
1994	Mitsubishi Lancer RS		Armin Schwarz	7																7th	31	4th	86
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II							2		3		Ret
	Mitsubishi Lancer RS		Kenneth Eriksson	5																12th	18
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II							Ret		4
			Kenjiro Shinozuka			2														13th	15
			Tommi Mäkinen									2								10th	22
1995	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II	10	Kenneth Eriksson	MON	1															3rd	48	3rd	62
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III							5	1		Ret
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II					11	19													32nd*	1*
		11	Tommi Mäkinen	MON 4	2															5th	38
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III						8	Ret	4	Ret	Ret
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II		Jorge Recalde			10														20th*	4*
		12	Andrea Aghini	MON 6																7th	26
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III						3			5
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo II				10															32nd	1
			Rui Madeira			9				11	7									11th	7
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III		Ed Ordynski					11	8											21st	3
1996	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III	7	Tommi Mäkinen	1	1	Ret	2	1	1	1	Ret	5								1st	123	2nd	322
		8		14																-	0
			Kenjiro Shinozuka		6															20th	6
			Richard Burns			Ret		4		5		Ret								9th	18
							14													35th	1
									8											27th	3
			Didier Auriol								8									27th	3
		9		16				10			Ret									35th	1
						Ret														-	0
							17													-	0
									Ret											-	0
			Ed Ordynski							10										35th	1
1997	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV	1	Tommi Mäkinen	3	3	Ret	1	1	Ret	1	3	NZL Ret	1	Ret	3	2	6			1st	63	3rd	86
		2											7							17th	3
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III			5	Ret			8	8						Ret
	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo IV		Richard Burns			2	Ret			Ret		NZL 4		4		4	4			7th	21
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV										4
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III	10									6	NZL								17th	3
		13	Kenjiro Shinozuka									NZL				Ret				-	0
1998	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV	1	Tommi Mäkinen	Ret	SWE 1	KEN Ret	Ret													1st	58	1st	91
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V							3	Ret	1	Ret	NZL 3	1	1	1	GBR Ret
	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo IV	2	Richard Burns	5	SWE 15	KEN 1	4													6th	33
	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo V							4	Ret	4	Ret	NZL 9	5	7	Ret	GBR 1
	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo IV	16		7	SWE 7	KEN	Ret	9												-	0
	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo V										Ret	NZL	Ret			GBR
1999	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI	1	Tommi Mäkinen	1	1	DSQ	5	3	6	4	3	NZL 1	Ret	Ret	1	3	Ret			1st	62	3rd	86
	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VI	2	Freddy Loix	Ret	9	Ret		4	8	Ret	4	NZL 8	10	Ret	4	4	5			8th	14
			Marcus Grönholm				Ret													15th*	5*
2000	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI	1	Tommi Mäkinen	MON 1	SWE 2	KEN Ret	POR Ret	ESP 4	3	Ret	NZL Ret	4	5	Ret	3	DSQ	3			5th	36	4th	43
	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VI	2	Freddy Loix	MON 6	SWE 8	KEN Ret	POR 6	ESP 8	5	Ret	NZL Ret	Ret	8	Ret	8	Ret	Ret			15th	4
2001	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5	7	Tommi Mäkinen	1	Ret	1	3	4	Ret	4	1	Ret	NZL 8							3rd	41	3rd	69
	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC													Ret	Ret	6	Ret
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5	8	Freddy Loix	6	13	Ret	4	6	5	9	5	10	NZL 11							13th	9
	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC													12	12	11	Ret
	Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5	19	Thomas Rådström		2															15th	6
			Katsuhiko Taguchi						Ret											15th	6
	Mitsubishi Carisma GT Evo VI		Toni Gardemeister									Ret	NZL 15							15th	6
2002	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC	7	François Delecour	9	34	7	9	13	Ret	GRE 11	Ret									-	0	5th	9
	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC2											Ret	9	10	NZL 9	Ret	Ret
	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC	8	Alister McRae	14	5	10	13	Ret	8	GRE Ret	9									15th	2
	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC2											Ret	Ret	Ret	NZL
			Justin Dale														Ret			-	0
	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC	9	Jani Paasonen		14			Ret		GRE										-	0
	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC2													8	NZL Ret	9	Ret
2003	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC2	32	Alister McRae	MON			NZL 6													17th	3	-	0
			Jani Paasonen	MON			NZL				Ret									-	0
		34	Kristian Sohlberg	MON	12		NZL Ret				14									-	0
2004	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC04	9	Gilles Panizzi	MON 6	SWE Ret	8	NZL Ret	CYP Ret	10	TUR Ret	ARG 7	FIN 11	GER Ret		GBR			12	AUS	13th	6	5th	17
		10	Gianluigi Galli	MON Ret		Ret				TUR 10										15th	5
			Kristian Sohlberg		SWE Ret		NZL Ret	CYP Ret			ARG Ret	FIN Ret								-	0
			Dani Solà						Ret				GER Ret		GBR			6	AUS	21st	3
		14	Gianluigi Galli		SWE		NZL	CYP			ARG	FIN	GER		GBR			7	AUS	15th	5
2005	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC05	9	Harri Rovanperä	MON 7	SWE 4	MEX 5	NZL Ret	ITA Ret	CYP 7	TUR 10	6	5	FIN 7	10	GBR 4	JPN 5	FRA 10	10	AUS 2	7th	39	5th	76
		10	Gilles Panizzi	MON 3	SWE	MEX 8	NZL	ITA	CYP 11	TUR			FIN		GBR	JPN 11	FRA Ret		AUS	15th	7
			Gianluigi Galli		SWE 7		NZL 8	ITA Ret		TUR 8	7	Ret	FIN Ret	5	GBR 14			Ret	AUS 5	11th	14
		18		MON		MEX			CYP							JPN Ret	FRA 9
2006	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05	14	Gianluigi Galli	MON Ret	SWE 4	MEX	ESP	FRA	ARG	ITA	GRE	GER	FIN	JPN	CYP	TUR	AUS	NZL	GBR	11th*	15*	-	-
		15	Daniel Carlsson	MON	SWE 3	MEX	ESP	FRA	ARG	ITA	GRE	GER	FIN Ret	JPN	CYP	TUR	AUS	NZL	GBR	16th	6
		18	Jussi Välimäki	MON	SWE	MEX	ESP	FRA	ARG	ITA 5	GRE 9	GER	FIN 7	JPN	CYP	TUR	AUS	NZL	GBR	17th	6
		22	Juho Hänninen	MON	SWE	MEX	ESP	FRA	ARG	ITA	GRE	GER	FIN DSQ	JPN	CYP	TUR	AUS	NZL	GBR	-	0
2007	Mitsubishi Lancer WRC 05	-	Toni Gardemeister	MON 7	SWE 6	NOR Ret	MEX	POR DSQ	ARG	ITA 6	GRE	FIN	GER	NZL	ESP	FRA	JPN	IRE	GBR	13th	10	-	-
		-	Xavier Pons	MON 26	SWE Ret	NOR 16	MEX	POR	ARG	ITA	GRE	FIN	GER	NZL	ESP	FRA	JPN	IRE	GBR	17th*	4*
		-	Juho Hänninen	MON	SWE	NOR 17	MEX	POR	ARG	ITA 8	GRE	FIN Ret	GER	NZL	ESP	FRA	JPN	IRE	GBR	22nd	1
		-	Armindo Araújo	MON	SWE	NOR	MEX	POR Ret	ARG	ITA	GRE	FIN	GER	NZL	ESP	FRA	JPN	IRE	GBR	-	0
		-	Urmo Aava	MON	SWE	NOR	MEX	POR	ARG	ITA	GRE 14	FIN 7	GER	NZL 8	ESP	FRA	JPN	IRE	GBR	19th	3
		-	Kristian Sohlberg	MON	SWE	NOR	MEX	POR	ARG	ITA	GRE	FIN Ret	GER	NZL	ESP	FRA	JPN	IRE	GBR	-	0
		-		MON	SWE	NOR	MEX	POR	ARG	ITA	GRE	FIN 13	GER	NZL	ESP	FRA	JPN	IRE	GBR	-	0

References[]

External links[]

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