| Running from January 1 -22, the 7th Paris - Algiers - Dakar was planned as the
toughest yet, this time with a route of over 14,000 km which would be contested
by a massive entry of 503 competitors, 360 of which were in the car/truck
section. This time the Mitsubishi Pajero proved even more popular with three
such machines entered by Sonauto Mitsubishi and no less than 37 private entries
in Pajeros. Cowan was again the team leader along side Patrick Zaniroli in a
second machine, this time in the top modified class. From the majestic Palace of
Versailles on the outskirts of Paris, the the Mitsubishi team lead by Cowan and
his capable navigator Johnstone Syers headed for the much less hospitable climes
of the Sahara once again, a barren arena with little sympathy for the weak or
unreliable, where the greatest annual motoring battle would be fought. With
temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius and
the relentless pounding of the rocky desert as the cars hurtled through at high
speeds, the "Dakar" represents the ultimate proving ground for any motor
vehicle. For the Pajero, this third attempt at the great desert race was simply
another chapter in its rapidly growing reputation as the world's toughest
high-performance off-road machine. Under the direction of Sonauto Mitsubishi's
director Ullrich Brehmer, Cowan and Zaniroli pounded onward to their destination
in Dakar, and famous Japanese actor Yohsuke Natsuki learned what it was like
away from the stage while contesting the ultimate challenge with Mitsubishi for
the first time in the standard version of the Pajero. In the treacherous Tenere
desert, the Mitsubishi Pajero grabbed the limelight with Zaniroli taking the
lead and Cowan in second. Where all the rest were failing, the Pajero was in a
class of its own. After 22 days the survivors reached the welcome, cooling
Atlantic breezes of Dakar, and the Mitsubishi pair of Zaniroli and Cowan
celebrated a magnificent 1-2 victory in their Pajeros - after just three years,
Mitsubishi's amazing off-road machine had finally scored the incredible victory
that everyone knew had been coming since it first appeared. There was no doubt
now - the Mitsubishi Pajero was the King of the Desert!
FINAL CLASSIFICATION
1985 Paris - Alger - Dakar Rally
| Pos. |
Car No. |
Driver |
Manufacture |
Total Time |
| 1. |
189 |
ZENIROLI/DA SILVA |
MITSUBISHI/PAJERO |
48.27.00 |
| 2. |
188 |
COWAN/SYER |
MITSUBISHI/PAJERO |
00.26.19 |
| 3. |
219 |
FOUGEROUSE/JACQUEMAR |
TOYOTA/FJ 6 |
05.34.32 |
| 4. |
221 |
RATET/DE BELABRE |
TOYOTA/FJ 6 |
12.12.29 |
| 5. |
205 |
MARREAU/MARREAU |
PENAULT/1351 |
12.16.31 |
| 6. |
370 |
MARCI/JANSSENS |
ROVER/RANG |
13.35.52 |
| 7. |
420 |
TEZEKDJIAN/DOLLA |
MERCEDES/280 |
14.44.55 |
| 8. |
211 |
DE DEYNE/BECKERS |
ROVER/LAND |
21.19.30 |
| 9. |
457 |
BOSTEELS/VANNESLANDE |
TOYOTA/BT4 |
22.30.20 |
| 10. |
419 |
BOUCHET/VILLEPIGUE |
MERCEDES/280 |
23.14.34 |
|