 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2010) |
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| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motorsport Automotive engineering |
| Founded | April 1984 |
| Headquarters | 33-7 Shiba 5-Chome, Minato, Tokyo 108-0014 |
Key people | Andrew Cowan (founder) Doug Stewart (founder) Masao Taguchi (President, Executive Director) |
| Revenue | ¥4,462 million (2005) |
| Parent | Mitsubishi Motors |
Ralliart is the high-performance division of Mitsubishi Motors. It was responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally 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, Doug Stewart, 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]
- ^ "Partial Cease of Business Activities along with Ralliart Inc's Business Scale Down" Archived 2017-10-09 at the Wayback Machine, announcement by Ralliart President Masao Taguchi, March 10, 2010
- ^ "Mitsubishi Motors - A Glorious Heritage in Motorsport", Mitsubishi-Motors.com
- ^ Ralliart Australia, Ralliart.com, November 7, 2000
- ^ "All-New Challenge for Mitsubishi Motors", Mitsubishi Motors press release, October 9, 2003
- ^ "Mitsubishi Motors Takes Over Andrew Cowan Motorsports", Carpages.co.uk, April 6, 2003
- ^ "Doug Stewart - 50 Years In Motor Sport", Jon Thomson and Stuart Bowes, RallySport News, August 12, 2003