Death of Andrew Cowan, the man behind Mitsubishi's WRC titles

The influence of motorsport in Andrew Cowan's life can be felt even at school. In the small town of Duns, near Edinburgh (Scotland), he met a certain Jim Clark, who became a double champion of Formula 1. 

But very quickly, the rally becomes Andrew Cowan's primary focus. His first start at the RAC (ancestor of Wales Rally GB) at the age of 24 resulted in a 43rd place with a small Sunbeam Rapier. The virus is inoculated, his parents support him financially in his quest for steering wheels. 

The first major victory came on home soil, during the 1962 Scottish Rally. However, it would be a decade before his profile caught the eye of a major manufacturer.

In 1973, he landed his first contract with Mitsubishi and specialized in endurance events. Third at the Safari Rally (Kenya) in 1976 and at the 1979 Ivory Coast Rally with the Lancer 1600 GSR (169 horsepower), he tackled the Paris-Dakar with the 4×4 Pajero.

In addition to three stage successes and the Cergy-Pontoise prologue in 1987, his best performance was second place in the final in 1985, behind his teammate Patrick Zaniroli.

Andrew Cowan made a crucial decision in his life at the start of 1983. He founded Andrew Cowan Motorsports (ACMS), a rally team, with the support of Mitsubishi to form a base for his competition commitments on the Old continent. 

ACMS then transformed into Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe thanks to the sports subsidiary Ralliart Europe. The three-diamond brand is redoubling its efforts in the World Rally Championship. 

After three sporadic appearances for the debut of Group A in 1987 with the Starion Turbo, Mitsubishi developed the Galant VR-4 with a big name like Ari Vatanen and a pure Nippon, Kenjiro Shinozuka. 

The car is designed in Japan while technical development is carried out in the workshops in Rugby (Great Britain). From her first participation in the RAC 1988, she signed two scratch times in the hands of Ari Vatanen. 

Unfortunately, its potential was not fully converted, with "only" three victories at Rac, in 1 Lakes and in Sweden between 000 and 1989. Dominated by cars with a shorter wheelbase, the Galant bowed out to make way for a myth: the Lancer Evolution. 

In 1993, the Evo arrived, the first of its name. More compact, with finer aerodynamics, it is more agile and efficient, regardless of the terrain. However, the beginnings are slow, very slow. “Mitsu” finished last in the Manufacturers’ championship in 1993.

The following year, no luck, victory still eluded them, despite two podiums. The takeoff began in 1995. The promising Tommi Mäkinen was recruited, but while waiting for him to blossom, the venerable Kenneth Eriksson ensured the transmission. Victorious in Sweden, he did it again in Australia. 

Tommi Mäkinen came of age in 1996, and in what way. With five victories in the first seven rounds, he won his first world title. The machine is working. 

The adoption of the regulation WRC in 1997 and the emergence of more technologically advanced cars did not disrupt the Evo IV. At the end of the suspense, Tommi Mäkinen resists the thunderous return of Colin McRae (Subaru) to preserve a small point lead at the end of the season. 

The scenario for the 1998 vintage will be even more intense. Arriving as leader at the RAC, Tommi Mäkinen and his co-driver Risto Mannisenmäki made a mistake on the first special. 

Carlos Sainz and Luis Moya (Toyota) thought they would pocket the supreme reward until the Corolla's engine gave up the ghost in the final special stage, a few hundred meters from the finish! Tommi Mäkinen, on the way to the airport, learned the good news through a phone call from a friend. It is also the only time that Mitsubishi is titled among the Manufacturers.

In 1999, Andrew Cowan's men still looked like scarecrows. The Evo VI remains the benchmark despite the arrival of the “small” Ford Focus and Peugeot 206. An active differential introduced along the way made it easier for Tommi Mäkinen, who became the first driver to win four consecutive titles.

Unfortunately, the rise in power of the WRC will put an end to the domination of the Mitsubishi-Cowan-Mäkinen trio. Left behind by Marcus Grönholm (Peugeot) in 2000, the Finn will try to react in 2001, but the new Lancer WRC will be unreliable. More than his accident in Corsica, it is this reluctance which will put an end to the title race. 

The following years will be sluggish. With Tommi Mäkinen gone, Mitsubishi cannot find a leader capable of leading the technical team. The multiple developments supposed to bring performance to the Lancer ended in bitter failures. 

Is it a coincidence that during this same period, the Rugby factory was relocated to Germany to form Mitsubishi Motors Motor Sports? Andrew Cowan took a step back until retiring at the end of a transparent 2005 season (penultimate for the Manufacturers). 

Retired from business, Andrew Cowan had since taken part in some historic events and concentrated on his 250 hectares of arable land in the north of England.

The entire AUTOhebdo editorial team sends its condolences to the family, loved ones and friends of Andrew Cowan.