Hugo Becker

The advent of the new year is often seen as a time to reflect on the happenings of the prior year, but also a time to take stock of where one is at and where…

Once Upon a Car I just finished reading Bill Vlasic’s, “Once Upon a Car”, and highly recommend it. It’s a fast paced look at the implosion of the Big Three US automakers that was pretty…

The perfect tire would stick to any surface, never go flat, run in any weather, provide plentiful steering feedback, and wear forever. Fat chance we’ll ever get a perfect tire because a big set of…

N54 Legal Matters I received a piece of mail yesterday that was a bit interesting. It seems that one legal challenge to the issues with the high pressure fuel pumps (HPFP) on the N54 engine…

EPS – Again I had to take the ’08 135i in to the dealer for routine service this week and had an opportunity to say hello and talk to the sales manager. If anyone has…

BMW’s production process continue to impress. Using a set of drivetrains, suspension hard points, and suite of electronics, BMW has managed to produce a set of variegated models. Further, they do this without the sales volumes other manufacturers…

Mood Rings The Editor-In-Chief sent me a link with the following tag-line, ‘BMW develops health-check steering wheel to monitor physical and emotional duress’. Of course the first thing that ran through my mind is that they’ve attached a…

There’s been a resurgence of talk about the electrically assisted turbocharger in recent days. I’d just like to point out that BMWBLOG covered that way back in July of this year. (Tri-turbo and electrical assist)…

Eisenach, Germany – Eisenach is at the heart of the German Federal Republic. It is dead center on the map. The Wartburg castle dominates the hillside on the southwest corner of town while the defunct…

BMW believes we’re getting bigger – or at least it seems that way because their cars keep getting bigger. The new F30 3er sedan is dimensionally longer, has a wider track (front & rear) and…