Oettinger’s 500hp Volkswagen Golf R has us longing for a trip to the Autobahn

By Ronan Glon Published May 25, 2017

We hate to tell you this, but the 400-horsepower Golf that Volkswagen promised us at the 2014 edition of the Beijing Auto Show isn’t coming anytime soon. German tuner Oettinger is taking matters into its own hand, and cranking the proverbial dial up to 11 for good measure.

Oettinger is no stranger to the Vee-Dub tuning scene; it developed the first 16-valve GTI engine back in the 1970s. For 2017, the tuner’s team of mad scientists took a 300-horsepower Golf R and rebuilt the engine from the ground up. The upgrades include forged pistons, steel connecting rods, and a brand-new exhaust system from the turbocharger to the four round tips. The 2.0-liter four is bolted to a dual-clutch automatic transmission whose internal components have been strengthened.

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With 300 horses under the hood, the Golf R is one of the most remarkable hot hatches you can buy today. Oettinger’s version rewards power junkies with 500 horsepower (seriously!) and 479 pound-feet of torque. The 4Motion all-wheel drive system takes care of channeling the engine’s punch to the pavement.

Unlike the stock Golf R, Oettinger’s version isn’t exactly what we’d call discreet. It gains a massive air dam integrated into the front bumper that provides the engine with the air it needs to remain cool, and a roof-mounted spoiler creates the downforce required to keep the shiny side up. You’ll also notice it sits on black five-spoke alloys wrapped by low-profile tires.

Oettinger isn’t forgetting the GTI. The Golf R’s smaller brother sees its turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder’s output bumped to 380 horsepower, an increase that’s more than generous. If you need a refresher course, the standard GTI offers 210 horsepower in its most basic configuration.

The tuner hasn’t revealed what kind of mechanical sorcery it used to send that much power to the front wheels without ending up with a copious amount of torque steer; you’ll just have to trust them. The cherry on top is the same body kit that equips the Golf R, an glossy black alloy wheels with red accents.

The kitted-up Volkswagen hot hatches will go on sale across Europe in the coming months. Look for a pricing announcement and a release with full performance details soon. Oettinger wants to do more business in the United States, so both models could get a one-way ticket across the Atlantic.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?

jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii 4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

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Tesla just scrapped the Cybertruck range extender

Tesla CEO Elon Musk behind the wheel of a Cybertruck.

The writing was pretty much on the wall for the Cybertruck range extender last month when Tesla removed the option from its website. Now, it’s officially scrapped it and is refunding the $2,000 deposits that customers put down for the $16,000 battery pack.

“We are no longer planning to sell the range extender for Cybertruck," Tesla said in a message to customers on Wednesday, adding, "As a result, we will be refunding your deposit in full.”

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Zoox recalls robotaxis after Las Vegas crash, citing software fix

Amazon's self-driving vehicle unit, Zoox, has issued a voluntary safety recall after one of its autonomous vehicles was involved in a minor collision in Las Vegas. The incident, which occurred in April 2025, led the company to investigate and identify a software issue affecting how the robotaxi anticipates another vehicle’s path.
The recall, affecting 270 Zoox-built vehicles, was formally filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Zoox said the issue has already been addressed through a software update that was remotely deployed to its fleet.
Zoox’s robotaxis, which operate without driving controls like a steering wheel or pedals, are part of Amazon’s entry into the autonomous driving space. According to Zoox’s safety recall report, the vehicle failed to yield to oncoming traffic while making an unprotected left turn, leading to a low-speed collision with a regular passenger car. While damage was minor, the event raised flags about the system’s behavior in complex urban scenarios.
Establishing safety and reliability remain key factors in the deployment of the relatively new autonomous ride-hailing technology. Alphabet-owned Waymo continues to lead the sector in both safety and operational scale, with services active in multiple cities including Phoenix and San Francisco. But GM’s Cruise and Ford/VW-backed Argo AI were forced to abandon operations over the past few years.
Tesla is also expected to enter the robotaxi race with the launch of its own service in June 2025, leveraging its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software. While FSD has faced heavy regulatory scrutiny through last year, safety regulations are expected to loosen under the Trump administration.
Zoox, which Amazon acquired in 2020, says it issued the recall voluntarily as part of its commitment to safety. “It’s essential that we remain transparent about our processes and the collective decisions we make,” the company said in a statement.