Friedrichsdorf, Germany - Oettinger has been tuning Volkswagens in this quiet Hessian country town almost as long as there have been Volkswagens - since 1946 to be precise - apparently on the basis that "Anything Wolfsburg can do, we can do better".
So it should come as no surprise that the Oettinger show car for the annual GTI rally at the Wörthersee in Austria is a seriously uprated Golf 7R. The Oettinger Golf R will first be seen in action at the Tuner GP at Hockenheim on 23 and 24 May before rocking the Wörthersee a few days later.
COMMANDING THE POWER
Modifications include a larger turbo, a complete free-flow exhaust system with four tailpipes (and a sound described by the tuner as 'feisty'), an Oettinger-developed motorcycle-type Power Commander piggy-backing on the original engine management system and some creative re-mapping, backed up by high-performance racing brakes.
Power output of the two-litre TFSI has been boosted from the factory's 206kW to first 265, then 280, and finally 295kW, torque from 380 to 500Nm. The latest version hits 100km/h from a standing start in four seconds flat (more than a second quicker than the as-issued R) and tops out at about 280km/h.
LOOKING GOOD
But the GTI meet at the Wörthersee is just as much about looking good as it is about making the dynamometer sit up and say "Gee Whiz".
The Oettinger Golf R is dressed up with a distinctive front spoiler, sideskirts and a very special roof spoiler with open R-Flaps, over a new rear diffuser with deeper ribbing and sculpted recesses for the four tailpipes - all made to OEM factory standards in high-quality reinforced composite material.
And of course, it runs special Oettinger rims, available for your Golf R conversion in either 19 or 20" diameter.