Hugo Becker

Hugo Becker is our resident curmudgeon and technology maven. Having had a driver’s license for over 40 years, he also has seat time in a large number of cars, from the silly to sublime. He brings a Sputnik era emphasis on science and technology to BMWBLOG, along with a passion for automotive history. Did we mention he’s old and crotchety?

Found – The Ad That Didn’t Make the Cut

BMW often is presented with unsolicited ideas for processes, patents, and ad copy. As are all large companies. Heck, my little sister wrote to a ‘large’ condiments manufacturer in the early ’60s and asked for…

Editorial: The BMW i8 - Sustainable Magic

Editorial: The BMW i8 – Sustainable Magic

What can you say about a car that is quick as an M3 and returns 75 MPG. It’s a killer idea, almost crazy, and yet we’ll see production BMW i8s in the very near future….

Designing ‘i’ Into the BMW Brand

BMW i: The Trouser Press

BMW i: The Trouser Press

Frankfurt am Main, Germany – When discussing electric vehicles it is understood that the enemy to range is weight. Anything that can be done reasonably to reduce vehicle weight has to be investigated, and, if…

Editorial: The i Brand – Is This the Future of BMW?

Editorial: The i Brand – Is This the Future of BMW?

Sometime in September (at the Frankfurt Auto Show presumably) BMW will unveil it’s new i3. While it has already teased journalists and BMW fanatics with glimpses-of and rides-in the i8, it’s the i3 that will…

Editorial: Tri Turbo and Electrical Assist

The triple turbo talk continues unabated, this time with a bit of a twist, electric turbo. Not so fast! Electric turbo? If a turbo was powered electrically (rather than with exhaust gases) it would be…

Tech Tidbit: How a Differential Works

Tech Tidbit: How a Differential Works

Every car (of recent vintage) has a differential and most people take them for granted without any idea of what they do, why they’re needed, or how they work. Going around a corner in a…