Skip to main content

Watch this 900-horsepower Ford Mustang drift Germany’s Nürburgring

Ford Mustang Drifts the Nurburgring with Vaughn Gittin Jr. | Ford Performance

Pro drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. recently went to Germany’s famous Nürburgring racetrack and got nice and sideways in a Ford F-150 Raptor pickup truck. Now he’s back with his regular ride: A 900-horsepower Ford Mustang drift car.

Recommended Videos

Known as the “Green Hell,” the Nürburgring features scores of corners spread out over 12.9 miles. It’s arguably the most challenging track in racing, and lap times have become a benchmark for automakers developing performance cars. The Lamborghini Aventador SVJ currently holds the record for production cars with a 6:44.97 lap. Gittin’s lap time was not released, but given that his last was more about tire smoke and sideways action than outright speed, it probably wasn’t a record breaker.

Given the length of the track and the amount of smoke pouring off the rear tires, it’s amazing they lasted an entire lap. Gittin even manages to get some air at one point. It’s just too bad that the entire lap wasn’t shown, although there is still plenty of action in the roughly three-minute video.

While based on a 2018 Ford Mustang GT, the drift car is a specially modified one-off. However, Gittin’s RTR company does sell Mustang tuning packages, with more aggressive styling and performance upgrades, yielding close to 700 hp in top Spec 3 guise. RTR is planning tuning packages for the F-150 as well.

Ford is planning its own wild new Mustang. The upcoming Shelby GT500 will have at least 700 hp, the automaker has said, as well as the aerodynamic and chassis upgrades to handle all of that power. The GT500 will be the most powerful street-legal Ford production car ever, topping even the 647-hp GT supercar, as well as the previous, 662-hp GT500 from model years 2013 and 2014. This vicious snake will be let out of its cage in 2019.

When the GT500 is finally revealed, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it end up at the Nürburgring. The Shelby probably won’t be able to outrun the fastest supercars but Ford might try to set a fast lap time to gain bragging rights over the rival Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Or maybe Gittin will return yet again to try to drift the thing.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
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.

Read more
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.”

Read more
Zoox recalls robotaxis after Las Vegas crash, citing software fix
zoox recall crash 1739252352 robotaxi side profile in dark mode

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.

Read more