It wasn't all that long ago when 560hp was a power output reserved for only the most extreme racing cars, and the generally accepted interpretation of "sports saloon" was a Ford Cortina Ghia with go-faster stripes and a chrome exhaust pipe. The very thought of a family car with more firepower under its bonnet than a Porsche 911 Turbo was, frankly, preposterous. How things have changed.
The supercar doesn't really exist anymore. Lamborghini gave up referring to its models as such years ago, coining the phrase "super sports car", and it's easy to see why when you consider the power output of machines like this one, the latest BMW M5. Because it produces 560hp and sends those horses stampeding through the rear wheels while providing refinement, comfort and electrical gadgetry aplenty for five adults.
When BMW launches any new M car, expectations are justifiably high. Since the first M5 emerged in 1985, there has been a succession of models, each more powerful than the last and the army of devotees worldwide has grown ever stronger. When it was announced that the previous generation's crazy V10 engine was to give way to a twin-turbo V8, fans were nervous. Could the wild M5 be turning into a bit of a softy? No way, not even slightly. Even on paper it's completely barking mad and I should love it for that reason alone.
In the metal this fifth-generation M5 is the embodiment of understatement and only the quad exhaust pipes and some discreet M badging tell onlookers what lies before them. That said, it sits with a purposeful stance, while also maintaining an elegance about it. It's a massive improvement over the previous 5's awkward lines and is especially beguiling in this example's lovely blue paint. Inside it's all very business-like, with acres of light grey leather upholstery. The cabin design is pretty much faultless but also instantly forgettable and everything feels like it's been finely honed with no penny pinching evident anywhere. This is an expensive car, don't forget, and BMW's customers rightly expect this sort of quality.
However, the really interesting stuff is beneath the skin. The M5 tips the scales at a considerable 1,945kg, so it's never going to feel like a true sports car, but BMW's expertise in making cars for enthusiasts of the long-lost art of actual driving should make up for its weight. Run-flat tyres put in an unwelcome appearance, though, so I'm expecting my teeth to fall out at the first sign of a poor road surface, especially as the M5 is more stiffly sprung than its more mundane brethren. Naturally, there's a whole heap of electronic trickery constantly working flat-out to make sure the M5 is actually driveable by mere mortals such as myself, but the source of its formidable power is also worthy of consideration.
It's the first BMW to be fitted with the 4.4L twin-turbo V8 and it develops its full 560hp between 6,000 and 7,000rpm, with peak torque of 680Nm (30 per cent more than the previous one) sweeping in all the way from just 1,500rpm. Top speed is normally limited to 250kph, like many cars of its ilk, but there's an optional "M Driver's Package" available which raises the (still electronically limited) speed to 305kph. See, I told you the M5 is a supercar. And just in case you're wondering how it performs at the lights, 100kph from rest is available in 4.4 seconds.
So it's quicker than the outgoing model, better looking and greener to the tune of 30 per cent thanks to increased efficiency in practically every area. With these figures racing through my mind, it's time to see how it all translates into an actual driving experience.
Bong. Bong. Bong. Bong. The M5's speed warning chime is a constant intruder with even the slightest flex of the right foot. It's astonishingly fast - as well it should be with only 2hp less than a Ferrari 458 Italia. The transmission is a seven-speed, dual-clutch, paddle-shift affair, and it's quite brilliant. It starts in auto mode and stays in it until you decide to take over. With a tug at either of the wheel-mounted shifters, you're driving a manual and it will hold on to every ratio until you shift again. And the way this thing gathers pace, it isn't long before you need to select the next cog.
There's a problem, however, in that the M5 really has to be driven on the ragged edge for you to feel the majesty of all this engineering. A Jaguar XFR, however, feels more compliant at more reasonable speeds and less like it wants to rip your head off when you mash the throttle. This big BMW feels big all the time, while an XFR seems to shrink around its driver and let him or her feel more at one with it.
The suspension, while more stiff than a regular 5, doesn't make for uncomfortable proceedings - far from it. In Comfort mode it's quite relaxing, so long as you've put the cruise control to work, and even Sport mode keeps things nicely refined. Sport+, however, ruins the recipe and makes the steering feel heavier but there are so many different settings for the driver to select that after just a few days in one, you can adjust it to your preferences and keep it there. I'd still prefer a car to be simpler, though, with a feeling that there are substantial pieces of engineered metal keeping me on terra firma, rather than a bank of computers.
And this, for me, is the rub with the new M5. As impressive as it is as a whole, it all feels too contrived for my tastes. BMW has undoubtedly done an amazing job of making the M5 the best car it can be, but the experience of driving it is, for me, instantly forgettable because the power is only exploitable if the electronic nannies are switched on.
Turn them off and the M5 will liquidise its rear tyres in an instant before executing you and your loved ones. An M3, on the other hand, feels more delicate, more manageable and, crucially, more fun both on the straight-ahead and through the twisties. In fact, the latest M3 is one of the few cars I've handed back in recent times that I dearly wished I could have kept - something I doubt I'll ever say about its big brother.
Base price Dh595,000
Engine 4.4L twin-turbo V8
Gearbox Seven-speed DSG
Power 560hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 680Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.9L/100km
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
RESULT
Arsenal 0 Chelsea 3
Chelsea: Willian (40'), Batshuayi (42', 49')
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Benevento (Kick-off 11.45pm)
Saturday Crotone v Spezia (6pm), Torino v Udinese (9pm), Lazio v Verona (11.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)
'Dark Waters'
Directed by: Todd Haynes
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, William Jackson Harper
Rating: ****
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
more from Janine di Giovanni
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Brief scoreline:
Crystal Palace 2
Milivojevic 76' (pen), Van Aanholt 88'
Huddersfield Town 0
India squad for fourth and fifth Tests
Kohli (c), Dhawan, Rahul, Shaw, Pujara, Rahane (vc), Karun, Karthik (wk), Pant (wk), Ashwin, Jadeja, Pandya, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bumrah, Thakur, Vihari
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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RESULT
Wolves 1 (Traore 67')
Tottenham 2 (Moura 8', Vertonghen 90 1')
Man of the Match: Adama Traore (Wolves)
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
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Results:
2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.
Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.
Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.
Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036
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Company%20Profile
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
How to help or find other cats to adopt
