Mercedes’ performance division AMG may have been founded back in 1967, but it wasn’t until 1993 that the two officially collaborated. The buyout didn’t start until 1999, and wasn’t completed until 2005. That’s not to say that Mercedes didn’t make its own performance sedans before then – like this very special 190E that’s now going up for auction.
What you’re looking at here is no ordinary 190, as the precursor to the C-Class was known. This is a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II – one of only 502 made, and the first ever to be offered for sale in North America.
The Evo II was a homologation special originally developed to compete in Group B rallying, but later repurposed to take on the BMW M3 in the DTM series. It featured a 2.5-liter inline-four with four valves per cylinder and dual overhead cams. The powertrain was tweaked by legendary racing engine manufacturer Cosworth to produce 235 horsepower – a monstrous amount of power for such a small car in its time.
The engine was mated to a five-speed Getrag gearbox, and the chassis beefed up with larger anti-roll bars, harder bushings, limited-slip differential, quicker dampers, and a faster steering ratio. And as you can see, the aerodynamics were enhanced significantly as well.
Those mods helped the mighty 190 win the championship in 1992, and wouldn’t have even been allowed to compete if not for these few hundred road-going examples. But this particular example was modified even further with upgraded engine components, Brembo brakes, and DTM-spec OZ alloys.
It has 5,000 kilometers on the odometer, and is set to cross the auction block at RM Sotheby’s in Scottsdale next month. We desperately want one, if only to recall the bone-stock diesel 190 this writer’s grandfather drove back in the day – and take it a few rapid steps further.
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