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Ralliart
Ralliart Inc. (株式会社ラリーアート Kabushiki-gaisha Rarīāto) is the motorsports division of Mitsubishi Motors. It is responsible for development and preparation of the company's rally racing and off-road racing vehicles, and is also used as a performance brand with parts available to the public. Ralliart will close its doors on April 1, 2010.[1]
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.<ref name="heritage">"Mitsubishi Motors - A Glorious Heritage in Motorsport", Mitsubishi-Motors.com</ref> 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.<ref name="stewart">Ralliart Australia, Ralliart.com, November 7, 2000</ref> The two have subsequently served as the operational bases for Mitsubishi's global motorsport activities.
They 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.
Mitsubishi consolidated their racing activities in 2003, acquiring ACMS Ltd. from Cowan while Mitsubishi Motors Australia took over Stewart's operation.<ref>"Mitsubishi Motors Takes Over Andrew Cowan Motorsports", Carpages.co.uk, April 6, 2003</ref><ref>"Doug Stewart - 50 Years In Motor Sport", Jon Thomson and Stuart Bowes, RallySport News, August 12, 2003</ref> This followed the formation of Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports (MMSP) GmbH in Trebur, Germany in November 2002.<ref>"All-New Challenge for Mitsubishi Motors", Mitsubishi Motors press release, October 9, 2003</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Citation/core{{#if:|}}</ref><ref>"Mitsubishi crosses the Galant and the Eclipse GT", Tony Assenza, Edmunds.com, May 17, 2006</ref>
