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It seems everyone has an opinion on the news that the Bahrain Grand Pix is back on – and many of them aren’t backing the FIA decision, including its old boss.

Max Mosley, who stepped down as President of motorsport’s governing body in 2009, has added his two penn’orth to the news that F1 will go back to the country that’s still embroiled in civil unrest to race on 30 October.

Mosley told Arabian Business that there was no way he would have rescheduled Bahrain if he had been in FIA President Jean Todt’s shoes.

“Formula One would go to Bahrain over my dead body. It cannot happen,” he said.

Mosley is not the only one to condemn the FIA’s decision with other voices also critical, including BBC commentator Martin Brundle, who said via Twitter that he “thought long and hard about it. Mistake to reinstate Grand Prix”, while the Formula One Teams Association said it ‘acknowledged’ the news but made no mention of accepting the decision.

Bahrain’s inclusion means the Indian GP has been pushed back to December, an extension to the season that some team bosses such as Ross Brawn of Mercedes and Martin Whitmarsh of McLaren believe to be unnaceptable.

Human rights groups have also been quick to condemn the news which many believe demonstrates a triumph for money above freedom.

“It’s a very sad moment,” Nabeel Rajabof of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, told the BBC. “It seems that their [Formula 1 organisers] benefit and their interest has more importance than the human rights of people in this part of the region. It’s very upsetting.”

“Giving this prestigious event to the Bahrain authorities while there are reports of peaceful protesters being shot in the streets is a formula for disaster,” said Brian Dooley of the US-based Human Right First.

“Hundreds of people remain in detention after months of military rule. Show trials and attacks on human rights activists continue.”

Bernie Ecclestone is perhaps unsurprisingly pleased with the decision. The F1 supremo said: “The FIA sent people out there to check on the situation, they came back and reported everything is fine… If there is peace and no problems then I suppose the teams will be all right.”

Source: http://uk.autoblog.com/2011/06/04/bahrain-grand-prix-criticism-max-mosley/

When the first BMW M5 arrived on our shores in 1987, it was the quintessential Q-ship, an innocent-looking 5-series powered by the engine of the legendary M1 supercar. Previewed by this concept, the upcoming, fifth-generation of the ultimate 5-series doesn’t look quite so innocent anymore.

It’s safe to assume that the production car will look pretty much exactly like this “concept.” The front fascia is dominated by the fighter-jet-inspired central air intake, which is flanked by—what else?—two more gaping intakes. Unlike the regular 5-series, there are no fog lights on the M5, as M still doesn’t put those on its cars. The hood is identical to that of the regular 5-series, and a fender vent is the only giveaway on the side that this is no ordinary 5-series. Get up close, though, and you’ll notice higher numbers stamped into the tire sidewalls, 265/35-20 up front and 295/30-20 out back. With four exhaust pipes and a diffuser, the rear is impressive, if nothing surprising. A small lip spoiler on the trunk increases downforce.

Getting Me Down And downforce it needs: The M5’s governed 155-mph top speed is only the beginning. At least in Germany, BMW will loosen the limiter to 190 mph as part of an option package that will include a driver-training course. Note that even 190 will be an artificial ceiling: Without the governor, BMW says the M5 could exceed 200 mph.

The capability to reach that speed comes from a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8. It’s basically the same engine used by the

and , in which it makes 555 hp. In the M5, that total is likely to increase. This engine will make the M5, after the two M SUVs and the

, the fourth car to deviate from the former and now-obsolete M gospel of high-revving naturally aspirated engines. As consolation, M GmbH development chief Albert Biermann hints that the turbo V-8 will rev beyond 7000 rpm, and BMW promises a 25-percent increase in fuel economy over the 8200-rpm V-10 in the previous M5.

Power is transmitted to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and an electrically controlled active differential developed especially for the M5. The suspension and brakes also are exclusive to the M5. The American interest in an honest-to-clutch-pedals manual transmission forced BMW to build the last-gen M5 with a stick, and this time around, we will be the only market to get the option of a six-speed manual.

Sadly, no market will get the M5 Touring station wagon that was available in previous generations of the car. Blame us, as the U.S. is BMW’s most important market for this vehicle, and, well, we’re just not smart enough to buy station wagons. In fact, we will get no wagon versions of the current 5-series at all. It’s a bit disappointing, but an M5 sedan with more than 550 hp is a fine consolation prize.

Article source: http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car/11q1/2012_bmw_m5_concept_official_photos_and_info-auto_shows