VOLVO’s V8 Supercar is about to get a country cousin.
The Swedish car-maker overnight revealed a high-riding wagon version of its track-honed sedan, called the V60 Cross Country, that will officially go on show at the Los Angeles motor show later this month.
Based on the V60 wagon, the premium SUV-styled BMW X1 fighter adds an extra 65mm in ride height, blacked-out wheel arches to give a sense of loftiness, and high-profile tyres wrapped around 18- or 19-inch rims to improve ride comfort for, as Volvo puts it, “climbing kerbs or negotiating rocky roads”.
Other off-road features include front and rear skid plates to protect the V60 Cross Country’s underbelly, and side scuff plates.
To show it can also kick off its gumboots when needed, the mud-plugging version will feature integrated tailpipes that “reflect its sporty dark side”.
Volvo says all-wheel-drive versions of the V60 will feature either a five-cylinder turbo-petrol engine or a five-pot turbo-diesel, while front-drive models will use either a four-cylinder turbocharged petrol or diesel.
The V60 Cross Country, expected to be priced from about $50K, is due on sale internationally early next year.
Mazda has announced plans to launch a global one-make racing series for its new fourth-gen MX-5 sports car in 2016.
Unveiled at this week’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, the MX-5 racer has got fans of the iconic roadster in sweats as the ND generation’s curves lend themselves well to the racecar treatment.
The Cup Racer is a lot more visually aggressive than the car it’s based on thanks to fatter rubber at both ends and a hunkered down stance. Plus there’s a roll bar and some tasteful stickers plastered across the sides of the racer for extra visual punch and safety, obviously.
Inside, the cockpit has been stripped of any unnecessary trinkets, such as proper door handles, door liners and carpets. Instead you get a race seat, new steering wheel containing a digital display and many buttons, and a heap of scaffolding to make it difficult to enter and exit the car. This thing is a proper racer.
Under the bonnet is the Mazda MX-5’s new 2.0-litre Skyactiv-G four-cylinder, expected to produce around 125kW in production form, while a six-speed manual will likely be the transmission of choice.
As for the suspension, Mazda Motorsports is still working on that bit. Testing of different tyre and suspension setups set to commence early next year, though you can expect the final package to be lower, stiffer and racier than its road-going equivalent.
The fourth-gen MX-5 will arrive in Australia next year and begin racing across North America, Europe and Asia in 2016. MOTOR understands an Australian round for the 2016 MX-5 Global Cup is under consideration.
At year’s end, a global shootout will take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, with the series champion winning a one-day test in Mazda’s Skyactiv Prototype that races in the US Sports Car Championship. MOTOR will be keeping a close eye on developments.
A WEST Australian man will appear in court to explain why he taxied a light aircraft along public roads to his local pub.
Last Friday the 37-year-old man purchased the Beechcraft two-seater aircraft, without wings, from a private residence and decided to ‘drive’ it home across town – on public roads.
But as if that wasn’t enough, along the way the accused parked the propeller-driven aircraft and made a visit to his local pub.
Police discovered the man was able to power the aircraft, inexplicably missing both wings, by inserting a dislodged fuel line into an “unsecured” jerry can inside the cabin.
“On stopping the aircraft the accused left the engine in a potentially dangerous condition with the ignition on,” police said.
The man will appear in Newman Magistrates Court, WA, on November 18.
Source: Western Australia Police
Mini has finally launched its first five-door Cooper hatch, making the iconic model more practical than ever before.
WHAT IS IT? Mini is targeting young families for the first time with the five-door Cooper, which promises go-kart handling and easy access for up to five passengers. All three Cooper models are available with the two extra doors, including the base petrol Cooper, diesel Cooper D and sporty petrol Cooper S.
WHY WE’RE TESTING IT The easier-to-live-with version of the Mini Cooper could well become the brand’s best-selling variant. Mini has largely maintained the stand-out styling of the new-age classic while making it a whole lot more practical.
MAIN RIVALS Volkswagen Polo, Skoda Fabia, Ford Fiesta, Renault Clio
SPECS Mini Cooper 5-door Engine: 1499cc 3cyl, dohc, 12v, turbo Max Power: 100kW @ 4400rpm Max torque: 220Nm @ 1250-4300rpm Transmission: 6-speed manual Weight: 1145kg 0-100km/h: 8.2sec (claimed) Economy: 4.9L/100km Price: $25,227 On sale: Now
THE WHEELS VERDICT A more practical Mini that retains the pleasure of the three-door but is easier to live with. PLUS: Three-cylinder engine a beauty; more affordable than last-gen three-door; handling still great MINUS: Rear camera not standard; awkward design; base wheels look tiny
THE WHEELS REVIEW VEHICULAR logic suggests the more doors you add to a car, the less fun it is. A Formula One car has no doors, the Chery J3 has five doors. I rest my case.
So the idea of a five-door Mini does not fill a car enthusiast with glee, especially as it is longer, heavier and not quite as attractive as the three-door version. But a day behind the wheel proves that, despite the addition of two extra doors, the larger Mini is still an involving car to drive.
The five-door is vastly more practical and far easier to live with, especially if you have, or think you might someday have, small children. Anyone who has attempted to load a cherub into the back of a three-door vehicle knows it is about as much fun as a leaky nappy.
The extra practicality does not come free, but the $1500 premium over the price of its 3-door siblings is reasonable. Thanks to savage price cuts that accompanied the arrival of the new-generation three-door in April, the five-door Minis are all relatively affordable; $27,750 for the base Cooper, $32,900 for the Cooper D and $38,050 for the Cooper S.
The base Cooper sits on teenie-weenie 15-inch alloy wheels, but is otherwise well appointed, with features including cruise control, push-button start, auto headlights, rain-sensing wipers and LED interior lights.
It also gets rear parking sensors, but somehow Cooper, Cooper D and Cooper S all miss out on a standard reversing camera (it’s a $1220 option on Cooper and $470 on Cooper D and Cooper S). Given the Mini is aiming this car squarely at young families, leaving out this technology is a terrible decision, especially when it is standard on the $14,990 Honda Jazz and $15,690 Toyota Yaris.
You might be tempted to think Mini also cuts corners when it comes to the engine bay, fitting a three-cylinder engine to the base Cooper, but triples have come a long way in recent years and this turbocharged direct-injection unit is a beauty.
Its 100kW/220Nm is more than enough to peddle along nicely; there’s not much power up to the top of the rev range, but enough accessible torque to ensure this is not a problem.
The six-speed manual gearbox is also engaging.
A strong diesel is available with the Cooper D, which is great with an automatic, while the turbo four Cooper S is fast and loud.
Corners are still a blast in the five-door cars. The steering feels direct and the suspension is still on the firmer side, even in the base Cooper, but the ride is far from harsh.
There is ample room in the back seat for two, while the boot will fit a stroller.
The five-door is great fun, relatively good value and practical enough to make it a good car for a young family. Now Mini just has to make that rear camera standard.
There’s crazy, and then there’s this: Ken Block’s tyre-gobbling Gymkhana Seven car.
The gymkhana guru has publicly revealed the chariot which will feature in his upcoming Gymkhana Seven video, and it’s pure evil.
The car, named the Hoonicorn RTR, is based on a 1965 Ford Mustang ‘notchback’ and is wide bodied, frightening to look at and all-wheel drive. Yep, all-wheel drive. Little surprise when you discover what’s under the hood.
Block’s Mustang packs a 6.7-litre Roush Yates Ford V8 that gulps air through a set of individual throttle bodies to make a colossal 630kW and 970Nm. The engine is matched to a ‘one-off’ six-speed Sadev all-wheel-drive transmission.
The car’s suspension is a custom set-up attached to a full-tubular chassis, both courtesy of ASD Motorsport. Providing grip are a set of 18-inch wheels wrapped in oh-so-fat 295/30 Pirelli Trofeo Rs… they won’t last long.
The Hoonicorn is the result of a two year project undertaken by ASD Motorsport – in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA – in collaboration with pro-drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. The release also coincides with the 50th anniversary of Ford’s iconic Mustang.
It’s set to debut at this week’s SEMA exhibition, and we can’t wait to see this death pony in all its tyre-sacrificing glory in Block’s next gymkhana video.
To hear Hoonicorn in action, check out the video above of Block filming in LA for Gymkhana 7.
The first version of the Lexus NX compact SUV to arrive is the 300h petrol-electric hybrid starting at $55,000.
WHAT IS IT? The NX is a five-seat compact SUV that is designed for use in the city, not the country. There is an all-wheel drive version, but Lexus makes it clear that the vehicle was not designed with off-road work in mind. A turbo-petrol four-cylinder version will be added to the line-up in early 2015, but there will be no diesel.
WHY WE ARE TESTING IT Lexus is very late to the prestige compact SUV party. Rivals now have some well-established players, so Lexus will need to come up with something special.
MAIN RIVALS Audi Q5, BMW X3, Range Rover Evoque
THE WHEELS VERDICT Decent execution of the prestige SUV concept, but NX is hurt by hybrid compromises. This could be a great daily driver with a diesel under the bonnet. PLUS: Luxurious interior; high level of standard gear; refinement; comfortable ride MINUS: No diesel; heaviness; uneven brake pedal feel
THE WHEELS REVIEW CAN I try the diesel version? It’s a question that must make every Lexus salesman sit up cold and sweaty in the middle of the night.
The answer is always no, and that’s a problem when it comes to models like its new compact SUV, the NX, because it’s aimed at the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, and about 80 percent of these leave the showroom with a gentle diesel clatter.
Lexus doesn’t do diesel because its biggest market is the United States, where most people are convinced diesel is the fuel of the devil, instead getting behind hybrids.
The merit of its choice may only be apparent years down the track, but right now, behind the wheel of an NX300h, I can’t help but wish this car had a diesel.
It has a lots going for it, but the package is compromised by its hybrid system and the weight penalty, the disconcerting brake feel and the slurring CVT it brings.
Mind you, some customers will appreciate not having to fill up with diesel, as well as enjoying the brief silent operation in electric mode at low speed and the ‘green’ chest badge that comes with hybrid ownership.
The NX has launched with a petrol-electric hybrid, but a turbo-petrol four-cylinder will be added in April.
Lexus will pitch the hybrid as the greener and more efficient option, highlighting its official fuel economy figure of 5.6L/100km.
While Lexus people tend to go apoplectic when the T word (Toyota) is mentioned, it should be noted the hybrid system is from the Camry Hybrid and generates a maximum of 147kW (no maximum combined torque figure is available).
The base model is front-drive, but higher-spec models are all-wheel drive.
With AWD, there is no driveshaft connecting the front and rear wheels. Instead, the rear wheels are driven by a separate 50kW electric motor. This system does not boost the maximum power and is engaged only for take-off, when traction is lost or to assist the vehicle through corners.
Lexus also turned to Toyota for the suspension architecture (but not the components) and the dashboard panel, which are from the RAV4.
It is 90 percent unique, though; all exterior panels are different and the interior is a world away from the RAV4, exuding luxury and comfort.
The base model costs $55,000, but the cabin gives the impression of a vehicle costing far more and it is the same with the $66,000 AWD F Sport and even the $75,000 AWD Sports Luxury. Lexus also delivers lots of standard content, and nails the prestige tactility for which it is known.
On the road, the NX rides well and is comfortable, but its bulk hurts the handling and dulls the acceleration. The steering is adequate, but the hybrid-linked braking fails to inspire confidence.
The NX has promise, but not so much in hybrid form.
SPECS Lexus NX300h Engine: 2494cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, electric motor Max power: 147kW @ 5700rpm Max Torque: 210Nm (petrol), 270Nm (electric) Transmission: CVT Weight: 1895kg 0-100km/h: 9.2sec (claimed) Economy: 5.6L/100km Price: $55,000
Ingolstadt adds some angst and adrenaline to its A3 convertible range with the four-seat Audi S3 Cabriolet.
WHAT IS IT? The range-topping variant of the Audi A3 Cabriolet line, complete with quattro all-wheel drive and a muscular 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four. Available solely with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission, the S3 Cabriolet demands a $22K premium over the entry-level A3 1.4TFSI Cabriolet and is intended to appeal to 30-plus men who want sports and sunshine in equal measure.
WHY WE’RE TESTING IT Along with its tin-top relatives – the S3 Sportback and S3 Sedan – the ace up the S3 Cabriolet’s sleeve is its powertrain. Packing 210kW and a chubby 380Nm, the S3 rag-top’s new-generation 2.0-litre turbo four smashes the older 1.8-litre turbo fitted to its closely related A3 1.8TFSI quattro sister by more than 50 percent for both power and torque.
MAIN RIVALS When it launches in 2015, the turbo-six BMW M235i convertible, or, if you don’t mind just two seats, the ballsy but unrefined Nissan 370Z Roadster. Only the deeply misguided should consider the ancient (and slow) Lexus IS250 C.
THE WHEELS VERDICT Arguably a step too far for the stylish A3-based Cabriolet, lacking the sweetness of the $55K 1.8TFSI Cabriolet quattro. But if you prioritise looks and performance, the S3 is the one. PLUS: Handsome; grippy; beautifully built; barky and muscular engine MINUS: Feels heavy-footed; cramped rear seat; compromised ride quality
THE WHEELS REVIEW SPORTS models and convertible lids rarely exist in harmony. Even Porsche’s brilliant 911 loses some of its lustre when its roof gets chopped, so what hope is there for Audi’s first small S-badged convertible offered in Australia, the S3 Cabriolet?
Based on the Volkswagen Group’s impressive MQB architecture, and sharing most of its vitals with the likeable new A3 Cabriolet, the S3 version definitely has good genes.
Benchmark build quality, a classy interior that exudes expense, and a subtly muscular body that looks great even when the insulated ‘acoustic’ cloth roof is in place all get the S3 Cab’ off to a great start.
Chasing one through the twisting Gold Coast hinterland, the S3 Cab even has a bit of ‘lead-sled’ ’49 Mercury about it, thanks to its low roofline and broad glass rear window, embellished by four rear exhaust pipes blurting and popping.
Up front, the Performance Pack-equipped S3 boasts full LED headlights, while underfoot, 19-inch rims with superb Continental ContiSportContact 5P tyres fill the Cabriolet’s guards. For the additional five grand Audi asks for the Performance Pack, you also get adaptive magnetic dampers, diamond-stitched sports seats and a cracking 705-watt Bang & Olufsen stereo with 14 speakers.
Indeed, it’s hard to think of an ‘affordable’ drop-top more suited to posing along the Surfers Paradise boulevard, surfboard poking out the rear seat, than the buff S3 Cab. But what’s this hipster Cabriolet like to drive?
Given its tight sports suspension (25mm lower than an A3 Cab quattro’s) and fat, low-profile rubber, the S3 Cabriolet’s body does a pretty impressive job resisting flex and twist, though you can always sense the loss of rigidity over its tin-top siblings.
Then there’s the multi-setting magnetic dampers, which do a surprisingly effective job of keeping it all together in Dynamic mode, yet somehow deliver too much vertical pitch and not enough suppleness in Comfort mode.
The S3 Cab’s suspension is clearly less disciplined than the hatch and sedan versions, yet the drop-top does an admirable job throwing its 1620kg kerb weight around in tight stuff.
Its steering works best in Dynamic, offering consistently meaty weighting without muffling too much feel, and so do its dampers in press-on conditions, though there’s a heavy-footed feel – just like a Golf R – that champions outright grip over delicacy or poise.
What the S3 Cabriolet is all about, though, is its engine.
A robust 210kW (up 4kW over the hatch/sedan, though all MY15 S3 models will soon get the same upgrade) makes the S3 Cab 59 percent stronger than the 1.8T and you can feel it.
The ballsy 2.0-litre turbo overcomes the S3 Cab’s mass with effortless arrogance, and there’s plenty of personality in its subtle induction growl and barky exhaust crackle.
For many, the S3 Cabriolet’s extra visual and acoustic sizzle will be enough to immediately discount a 1.8TFSI A3 Cabriolet as a viable alternative. But unless you really have to have a convertible, we’d go for either the S3 Sportback or Sedan with optional sunroof without a second thought.
SPECS Model: Audi S3 Cabriolet Engine: 1984cc 4cyl, dohc, 16v, turbo Max power: 210kW @ 5300rpm Max torque: 380Nm @ 1800-5200rpm Transmission: 6-speed dual-clutch Kerb weight: 1620kg 0-100km/h: 5.5sec (claimed) Economy: 7.1L/100km Price: $69,300 On sale: Now
Mazda expects bigger numbers of its all-new sub-compact for 2015 to be parked in man-caves.
WHAT IS IT? The Mazda 2 is the company’s smallest passenger car in Australia, which this year is the second-best seller in the light-car market, behind the Hyundai i20. This all-new model comes seven years after the last and is the fourth Mazda Australia model to feature its SkyActiv chassis and engine technology
WHY WE’RE TESTING IT To find out if SkyActiv tech makes the new version even better than its highly regarded predecessor.
MAIN RIVALS Hyundai i20 Elite, Toyota Yaris YRX, VW Polo 81TSI, Ford Fiesta Sport, Holden Barina CDX, Suzuki Swift GLX
WHEELS VERDICT The latest Mazda 2 looks destined to regain its place as the light hatch of choice. PLUS: Much improved ride, road-holding and noise suppression; less gender-specific looks; appealing interior; excellent fuel economy MINUS: No great enthusiasm for hills; cramped rear seat; no rear camera
THE WHEELS REVIEW MAZDA insists its totally new 2 will pull an increased number of male buyers, compared to the take-up of the old model that skewed around 70 percent female.
The superseded car looked girlish and appealed mainly to young females between 22 and 35, and older empty nesters. But the new five-door hatch, with its cab-rearward look, is styled to not send the fellas screaming for the (showroom) exit, and Mazda has pointedly introduced a welcome dynamic edge to the new chassis.
The females won’t mind, while the blokes will relish a little hatch that, though more tepid than hot, hits twisty roads with something approaching pleasure.
It responds crisply when turning into corners, changes direction pleasantly without betraying unseemly road manners, and is rarely unsettled when it bounces off a scarred or bumpy stretch of bitumen.
Importantly, Mazda has worked diligently at reducing what we’ve come to recognise as something of a pox on its products – NVH. Tyre hum and road noise is subdued and the ride quality rivals that of its Euro competitor, the VW Polo.
Front seat accommodation is improved, too, with the front wheels moved forwards to give better leg room and a nicer seating position for bigger people.
Rear-seat space continues to be cramped, but Mazda says most owners don’t use the back seats.
Fuel efficiency is a standout, the best ever in a Mazda, and helped by idle-stop, tall cruising transmission ratios and smart engine technology.
The three equipment levels of the previous 2 return with the new car.
The base Neo gets a 79kW/139Nm version of the 1.5-litre four with a softer compression ratio and a slight drop in power and torque, available in manual and auto, and with keen pricing starting at $14,990.
The higher-spec engine of the more expensive, better-featured Maxx and Genki variants produces 81kW and 141Nm while managing a sensational official 4.9L/100km (we recorded 5.8 on a mix of urban running and winding, climbing rural roads). Of all the light cars on the market, only VW’s Polo 66TSI is more fuel-thrifty, but the Polo drinks more costly premium unleaded.
The new Mazda 2 engine is no powerhouse, but is adequate for city and highway driving, though a little lethargic on climbs.
It’s certainly better value for money, with all grades cheaper than their outgoing equivalents.
Mazda has launched the new 2 with driveaway pricing starting from $16,990 for the Neo. The highly specced auto Genki featured here, with lots of good gear and a classier cabin, is offered at $21,990. Optional rear parking camera is a $420 extra across all grades.
Key equipment from the bigger Mazda 3 has been handed on to its smaller sibling. This includes the Kodo design language, auto and manual gearboxes, much of the SkyActiv engine technology, MZD connectivity system with seven-inch centre display and apps, HMI (Human Interface Machine) with Commander control, and multi-function steering wheel.
SPECS Model: 2015 Mazda2 Genki Engine: 1496cc in-line 4cyl, dohc, 16v Max power: 81kW @ 6000rpm Max torque: 141Nm @ 4000rpm Transmission: 6-speed auto Weight: 1058kg 0-100km/h: 10.2sec Fuel economy: 4.9/100km Price: $21,990
MERCEDES-Benz’s performance division has taken a stake in motorcycle maker MV Agusta as it attempts to widen Mercedes-AMG’s appeal to two-wheeled enthusiasts.
The car maker announced this week that, subject to regulatory approval, it will take up a 25 percent stake in the racetrack-honed Italian motorcycle maker as a two-wheeled partner to the four-wheeled sportscar brand.
“In MV Agusta, we have found the perfect two-wheel partner for Mercedes-AMG,” Tobias Moers, the chief executive of Mercedes-AMG, said in a statement announcing the buy-in to the motorcycle maker.
“This manufacturer with a long tradition and Mercedes-AMG are connected not only by a long and successful racing history, but also by shared values and goals for the future – allowing the experience of utmost perfection, optimal performance and motorsport technology for the road.”
However, rather than sharing technology – anyone dreaming of a slick GLA45 AMG featuring a rapid-fire sequential gearbox had better stop reading now to avoid disappointment – it’s believed the relationship won’t extend much beyond marketing and sales, with the relationship providing Mercedes-AMG “with an entry into a world of additional high-performance enthusiasts”.
Mercedes-AMG’s push into two-wheeled performance follows on the heels of German rival BMW, which has its Motorrad motorcycle division to complement the car-making side of the business.
However, BMW’s motorcycle division has also spawned another important side business for the German luxury-car maker – supplying a two-cylinder range-extender petrol engine to double the driving distance of its battery-powered i3 city hatchback.
A statement from Mercedes-AMG’s parent company, Daimler, said the car maker had no immediate plans to start using motorcycle engines to power future vehicles to help it chase tightening worldwide emissions standards.
The move also shadows premium car rival Volkswagen, which in 2012 bought fellow Italian motorcycle maker Ducati.
The XL Sport, a VW-badged two-seat hypermiler unveiled in Paris earlier this year, featured a Ducati-sourced two-cylinder engine.
BMW is also making sounds about providing motorbike-to-car technology that will alert car drivers when a motorcyclist is sitting in the vehicle’s blind spot, or even approaching an intersection from a different direction.
Similarly, motorcycle makers are moving into areas traditionally left to the four-wheeled specialists. Two-wheel adventure and sports-bike maker KTM launched the X-Bow, using a 2.0-litre Audi-sourced engine, in 2008.
F1: It isn’t bigger in Texas
IN THE nation where big is always better, Formula One did itself no favours by fielding the smallest grid in some time – 18 cars – in Austin this morning.
As well as losing Marussia and Caterham to financial administrators in the lead-up to the US Grand Prix, there was the threat of rebellion from three other strugglers who debated whether to use the occasion to draw attention to money inequities on the F1 grid.
It was just what ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone and F1 didn’t want as the European-spawned form of motor sport sought to use the spotlight on the Circuit of the Americas to show NASCAR-besotted Americans that grand prix racing is indeed premium entertainment.
A boycott was threatened as the three rebel teams – Lotus, Sauber and Force India – saw the chance to use F1’s global stage in a prime market to attract attention to their eternal struggle against the sport’s cashed-up giants at the pointy end of the grid. It was a serious piece of brinkmanship that extended into Sunday.
Ecclestone is known as the sport’s commercial rights holder, although in recent times private equity firm CVC Capital Partners has actually controlled how F1 operates.
But the issue the small marques have with Ecclestone and CVC is the distribution of revenues.
The smaller teams insist they are being financially strangled while Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes take a massive share of the £900 million ($A1.64 billion) dished out. The same big four also manage to attract the biggest sponsorship deals.
Over the weekend, in a rare show of mea culpa, Ecclestone admitted to British journalist Ian Parkes that the crisis was probably his fault. If he had his way, he would rip up all contracts and start afresh.
“There is too much money probably being distributed badly – probably my fault,” Ecclestone conceded.
The menace of boycott was real and there was high anxiety around the paddock until diplomacy and promises prevailed just 90 minutes before the cars went out to play on Sunday. Hopefully resolution will come before the Brazilian Grand Prix next weekend.
So 18 cars did start, a thin field to be sure, but not as bad as it may have been, and certainly way healthier than in 2005 when just six cars competed in a travesty of a GP at Indianapolis due to a tyre problem. It stunned the 130,000 crowd and wasn’t a good look, particularly as NASCAR routinely puts 43 cars on the track three dozen times a year.
At Austin race, Nico Rosberg stunned championship rival and points leader Lewis Hamilton by comfortably out-qualifying his Mercedes teammate to take pole, leaving the Saturday duel at nine-seven in the German’s favour.
The Williams-Merc pair of Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa held row two, with Daniel Ricciardo’s Red Bull fifth ahead of the Ferrari of Fernando Alonso.
Ricciardo made another bad start (see, it wasn’t just Mark Webber!) and dropped to seventh as Rosberg took off. Our boy scrambled back to sixth before Sergio Perez got into Adrian Sutil, bringing out the safety car on lap one.
At the restart, Ricciardo pounced opportunistically, and quite brilliantly the West Aussie slid by Alonso to fifth.
He then moved ahead of Bottas during the first tyre stop, but was vulnerable to the Williams duo due to the Red Bull’s leisurely straight-line pace.
A spirited mid-race duel between world champs Jenson Button and Alonso probably had greater significance than many appreciated because the Brit is fighting for his F1 life, with the Spaniard tipped to take his seat at McLaren next year.
Right at the pointy end, Hamilton ambushed Rosberg to take control, with Massa still separating Ricciardo from the podium. Until Massa pitted for tyres.
Sebastian Vettel, having started from pit lane following a power-pack change, had an eventful race, yo-yoing up into the points and out again. Then back in.
Hamilton took the win to extend his points lead over Rosberg, while Ricciardo kept his podium after a another sizzling drive. His was a terrific effort to beat the Williams pair.
So that was the US GP, but there is much more to play out off track. Former FIA president Max Mosley believes more teams will be forced to drop out of the sport if measures are not taken soon to level the playing field between the big rich teams that spend $300-500 million a year and the tiddlers that battle along on $40 million or so.
Mosley says it’s too difficult for the lesser-funded teams to survive in an increasingly costly business.
Talking to BBC Radio5, Mosley said: “From a sporting point of view, the sport should split the money equally and then let the teams get as much sponsorship as they can.”
Should neither Caterham nor Marussia find new owners, F1 will have to confront the reality of a thin grid of nine teams and 18 cars for the 2015 season. Or maybe F1 will return to the old idea of three-car teams to fatten the starting numbers.
BATHURST 12 HOUR: Flush grid for sports car enduro
IN THE week that Mark Webber blasted V8 Supercars for staging its 2015 official test against the rival Bathurst 12 Hour for GT cars, happy organisers of the sports car enduro have an embarrassment of riches – entries have raced past the 50-car mark.
And it’s still 100 days out from the race, set for February 8.
Such is the ongoing interest in Australia’s international endurance race that event organiser James O’Brien has relaxed the old 55-car grid cap.
Initially the cap was imposed due to the limited overtaking opportunities across the top of Mount Panorama, when the field comprised a large number of slower vehicles. With the field now comprising a majority of GT vehicles, the need for the cap is reduced.
Before entries formally close in mid-December, O’Brien expects to confirm an additional four cars in Class A (GT3) and has received inquiries from prospective runners in other classes.
The 12 Hour, a resounding hit with drivers, entrants and spectators this year, has grown remarkably since its rebirth, and has attracted network television coverage next year.
Nissan has confirmed its works-supported Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 squad will again represent their NISMO Global Athlete Team program for the second year.
Along with Nissan, exotic European brands Aston Martin, Bentley, Mercedes-AMG, Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Audi and Porsche will chase outright honours.
Craft Bamboo Racing will field a two-car Aston Martin team, the Hong Kong-based team confirming a double-barrelled Vantage GT3 attack with a driver line-up that will include the return of two-time race winner Darryl O’Young.
More diversity appears in the entry following the confirmation that Cor Euser, the impressively credentialed Dutch owner/driver, has entered a Lotus Evora GT4 in Class C (GT4 vehicles).
Euser has raced at the highest level for years, including competing in Formula 3, F3000, Indy racing and the Dakar Rally.
The addition of Euser’s Lotus takes the GT4 entry to four cars and the total GT grid to 38.
The 12 Hour’s class structure has been streamlined, with five classes now appearing on the official entry list – the three GT categories plus two classes for invited vehicles.
OUTLAWS: Schatz is champ but Aussie Madsen shines
DONNY Schatz has wrapped up the World of Outlaws sprintcar series in another dominant season in which he won 26 points-paying feature races.
But accolades to Sydney’s Kerry Madsen, fourth in the season’s standings after the gruelling 94-race Outlaws championship (two nights were rained out), which started back in February and concludes next weekend.
It was the third consecutive year that Madsen finished among the top 10 in the WoO Series.
The Outlaws raced all over North America from Florida to Ontario, Canada, and from New York State to California.
Madsen won six main events during 2014 to emphatically show the Americans that he’s a genuine championship contender.
This weekend will also mark the retirement of the greatest ever, 20-times Outlaw champion Steve Kinser, who at 60 managed to score a win in his farewell season.
MOTOGP: Casey Stoner completes two-day test in Motegi
AUSTRALIA’S retired two-time MotoGP world champion, Casey Stoner, last week competed a two-day test in Japan with Honda Racing Corporation – the first time back on a MotoGP machine since October 2013.
But don’t read anything into Stoner’s return for this session at Motegi. It was part of a commitment made to Honda to take a selective testing role.
Stoner spent time with the 2015 Honda RC213V machine on the current specification Bridgestone tyres, testing various items including engine development and different set-ups.
He also spent time on the Michelin tyres that will be used by regular Honda riders Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa in 2016.
“It took some time to get used to riding the bike again after a year off it,” Stoner said. “But everything felt good, I got back into the swing of things pretty quickly and we just got on with the testing program HRC had planned.
“Day one went pretty well, testing both Marc and Dani’s set-ups on the 2015 prototype machines and, analysing these side-by-side, we found some interesting differences and useful data. We also did some engine development and some other new items Honda brought for this test.
“Then today we spent some time on the Michelin tyres for 2016. All in all it was very positive two-day test and we completed a lot of laps.”
