there is only one true tuner moddifer still going after 20/30 years COSWORTH lol and not forgetting the M Division (
It was only a matter of time Same thing happened with Prodrive and Subaru all to keep the rich fatcat corporate suits on the board of directors living comfortably....
Ralliart were essentially the factory motorsport division. There hasn't been a full factory works Mitusbishi rally team for donkeys anyway, so in the grand scheme of things it doesn't make much difference. Prodrive were contracted by Subaru to run their works rally cars. Subaru decided not to go rallying, so the contractual relationship ended. Prodrive are still very much alive and kicking running customer rally cars and racing GT class Astons. Apparently, Mini have approached Prodrive to run the new Mini in the WRC and an announcement is due soon.
Ralliart had very little input to any of the road cars and Mitsubishi are out of WRC now so it makes little difference. Yea I heard they were proposing to use the new Clubman?
There's LOTS of tuners going as long, if not longer, than that, but 'works' teams, not so many i agree... They're 'scaling down' in Japan, and pretty much all withdrawn from International sorts, but it wont be the last we see im sure! Anyone else remember or seen ThunderBolt, when Jackie Chan worked at Ralliart going back a while... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxO78UonjfM"]YouTube - ???? ?????? DEAD HEAT ??? (Thunderbolt) ?????? ???[/ame]
Cosworth UK are a shadow of their former selves. All the tuning stuff you see for sale now is produced by the USA company. Although i do think they've got a contract to do F1 engies soon? Possibly starting next year?
Cosworth supply a few teams their engines this year. Lotus, Virgin, Williams and Hispania I think all use them.