MERCEDES 190E

2.3-16 COSWORTH

Sympathetically restored
138,000 Miles
Fully rebuilt engine

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Chassis: WDB 2010342F224792

Presented here is a truly under appreciated modern classic. Restored to a condition simply unachievable for the value of the car, a true labor of love. This particular example is one of the most desirable specifications of the marque, sporting the dog-leg manual, full leather interior, full body kit and the screaming 2.3L 16 valve power plant.

Finished in Blue-Black metallic over a full black leather interior, the car embraces its stealthy appearance. A luxury touring car for the road, it even comes optioned with the factory stop-watch. If you’re looking for a connoisseurs alternative to the fast 80’s saloon, look no further than this particular 190E.

The car has benefited from extensive cosmetic and mechanical overhauls. The engine has been rebuilt and all of the valve clearances checked, a known problem for these Cosworth engines. The exhaust has been repaired using OEM Mercedes parts. The running gear has also received a going through with new suspension arms, brakes and brake line. Cosmetically the car has been repainted, along with the bumpers being restored and painted to the correct satin grey finish. The body panels are all original, remarkably straight and completely rust free, something Mercedes’ of this age so commonly suffer from.

The interior is completely original with minimal signs of wear. Seat bolsters are in exceptional condition and all switch gear shows minimal usage bar very small blemishes, one being a broken rear window switch plastic and the dashboard has two minor cracks around the speaker grills. A replacement stopwatch has also been sourced, a rare option that this car left the factory with. All blemishes considered, the car is in remarkable condition.

You’re in for a treat if you have yet to experience the touring car in a suit that is the 2.3-16. While the engine doesn’t produce much power on paper, it’s full of saloon car character. Revving its way to 8,000rpm, accompanied by the rasp of air being sucked into the intake. It’s an engine that really encourages hard driving, encouraging you to use the slick dog-leg box to keep yourself in the top of the rev range.

Where the 190E really stands out is in it’s chassis balance. There is a reason the recipe raced for so long competitively with minimal changes, being a true thoroughbred. The multi-link suspension keeps the car stable and neutral at all speeds, while the steering weights up beautifully as the nose sniffs out the apex of any bend. As a driver you have to commit and load up the car into the corners otherwise it’ll simply feel like a blancmange. Unlike most sports cars of the day you can use all of the brakes thanks to the ABS system. There’s no ‘holy moly’ moment as the fronts lock, in fact you can moderate the brake pedal perfectly to get the weight transfer and allow the beautiful balance to rotate the car.

The best bit? It’s all in a four door saloon. Practical and supremely comfortable even on UK roads, the car slots neatly into modern life and let’s face it, it’s built better too.

Undeniably cool, unquestionably stylish and increasingly rare. The 190E 2.3-16 is a truly special car indeed, and one that will surely win the heart of just about any devoted Mercedes enthusiast. Demand for these simply brilliant to drive 190E’s can only head upward, especially with its competitors like the Sierra Cosworth and E90 M3 rocketing in value. It appears to be a perfect time to get into the world of 190E ownership. This 1986 RHD example presents prospective buyers with a great opportunity to do just that.

Well presented both mechanically and aesthetically and finished in a wonderful colourway it will certainly make a welcome addition to the collection of any devoted Mercedes enthusiast.

Our team is on hand to help with any further questions on this vehicle, all details available upon request.

“Mercedes spent about as much developing the W201’s rear suspension as BMW did developing the entire E30.”

- Petrolicious

An origins story

Contrary to popular belief the Mercedes 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth was not developed for what we know and love as the DTM series. It’s origins actually begin in the most infamous discipline and group of race cars ever created, Group B. Mercedes had already seen success in the rallying world with their monstrous 450 SLC and to continue this streak Mercedes approached engine building legends Cosworth to create a homologation special, birthing the 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth.

The result was a 2.3 litre inline four cylinder, 16 valve power unit, pushing out an impressive 320hp. For sale to the general public the car was detuned to 136hp, allowing production of this homologation special. However, lurking in the wings came Audi, championing their mighty Quattro. All-wheel drive, an extra cylinder and turbo, poised to dominate the rallying discipline for the rest of the Group B era. Mercedes wisely decided a change of tack would be necessary, turning their attention to the German DTM series. This is where the 190E would make its mark for the next seven years.

The year is 1983, it’s the Frankfurt Motor show. The 190E Cosworth is unveiled to the general public. Not only did it boast the Cosworth engine, but multilink rear suspension and a futuristic low drag body co-efficiency. However, Mercedes were not satisfied with the public praise of the pure performance; reliability maintained its top level of importance to the brand. As a result three examples ran day and night for eight days… flat-out. Clocking up over 50,000km at an average speed of 154 mph around the Nardò High Speed Bowl. Later, Mercedes pulled a marketing stunt that had never been seen before, or in fact since. Hosting a one make race, with every car being driven by that years Formula 1 grid. A race that went down in history, while also revealing the true talent of a young and budding driver Ayrton Senna.

Despite the success and the marketing of the 190E, it could never quite match the acclaim its direct rival the M3 would go on to cultivate. With it’s sensible design and grown up character. Mercedes had definitely had an excellent benchmark to which BMW could develop the M3 to beat. The M3 was actually remarkably basic when compared to its older rival. The 190E sported some serious mechanical credentials, an automatic locking differential could be optioned and Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection as well as some aero modifications. A small wing on the boot, tiny spats on the arches and lower sills and bumpers, all in body colour, were all that set the 16-valve model apart from the regular saloon. All very subtle then; even the exhaust exit is hidden behind the rear bumper.