- The car will set back shoppers a staggering €714,000 (~$767,000) before taxes.
- Each car starts life as an original 190E, but almost nothing is kept from the donor car.
- Six-piston front and four-piston brakes are standard, and carbon ceramic discs are an option.
The engineering experts over at HWA have unveiled their long-awaited and modernized version of the iconic Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II. This restomod, known simply as the Evo, was previewed with a series of renderings late last year and the first example will be sold at auction in late July.
Underpinning each of the 100 examples bound for the production line will be an original Mercedes 190E shell. However, the entire front-end structure has been replaced, and there’s a near rear end too, made from a combination of steel and aluminum. HWA has then bathed the exterior of the car in bespoke carbon fiber body panels mimicking the shape of the original 190 E 2.5-16 Evo II.
Read: HWA’s $776,000 Mercedes 190E EVO II Restomod Is Pure 80s Fantasy
The original car was powered by a 2.6-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder. Rather than using this engine and upgrading it, HWA has decided to use a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 from the Mercedes-Benz stable. It’s fitted it with a dry-sump lubrication system and tuned the engine to produce 444 hp and 405 lb-ft (549 Nm) in standard specification or 493 hp and 405 lb-ft (549 Nm) with the optional Affalterbach package. This engine sits behind the front axle, contributing to the car’s perfect 50:50 weight distribution.
Mated to the engine is a six-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels. The standard model tops out at 168 mph (270 km/h), while the Affalterbach package lifts this to 185 mph (298 km/h).
Extensive work has also been done on the car’s suspension. Double wishbones are found at all four corners, as are a set of dampers from KW that offer manual adjustment. More complex electronically adjustable KW dampers have been reserved for versions with the performance package. HWA has also fitted large 380 mm (15-inch) discs up front with six-piston calipers and 360 mm (14.1-inch) discs at the rear with four-piston calipers. Carbon ceramic are an optional upgrade.
The car’s flared arches, bold front splitter, and towering rear wing all look very cool and also serve an aerodynamic purpose, with HWA targeting a peak downforce of 80 kg (176 lbs) at 125 mph (201 km/h). That may not sound like a lot, but it’s better than nothing.
HWA hasn’t yet released images of the car’s interior, but it will include a digital instrument cluster that replicates the gauges of the original car. It will also be equipped with standard Recaro seats and offer smartphone integration.
As mentioned, just 100 units are being produced, and roughly 75% of them have already been sold, with prices starting at €714,000 (~$767,000) before taxes.
