1989 Mercedes-Benz 190E

The Mercedes-Benz (W201) 10 Series of sedans was produced from September 1982 to May of 1993 with nearly 1.9 million examples created. Designed by Bruno Sacco, head of styling at Mercedes-Benz from 1975 to 1999, this new five passenger sedan made its debut in 1982 at the Paris Motor Show. It was the company's first compact-class automobile and expanded the company's market to include motorists hitherto unable to afford the Stuttgart manufacturer's high-quality products.

The 190 Series was a conventional front-engine, rear-drive, four-door saloon with compact overall dimensions and powered by a variety of engines ranging from a 1.8-litre four to a 2.6-litre six, plus 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre diesels. 'E' models came with Bosch KE-Jetronic multi-point fuel injection. The suspension was a new computer-designed five-link rear setup with conventional McPherson struts at the front, rewarding the driver with excellent roadholding without compromising ride comfort.

1989 Mercedes-Benz 190 Series
The 1989 Mercedes 190 Series shed its four-cylinder engines and was now solely powered by a six-cylinder (petrol) engine and a five-cylinder (diesel) engine. The overhead-cam six-cylinder engine powering the 190E 2.6 displaced 2,600cc (156.6 cubic inches) and had multi-point fuel injection, 9.2:1 compression, and produced 156 horsepower at 5,800 RPM and 162 lbs-ft of torque at 4,600 RPM. The diesel engine in the 190D had overhead cams, five main bearings, fuel injection, a 2,492cc displacement size (152 cubic-inch), and produced 90 horsepower at 4,600 RPM and 117 lbs-ft of torque at 2,800 RPM. This was the only Mercedes-Benz model offered in 1989 with a diesel engine in the United States (albeit unavailable in California). The transmission was a five-speed manual or an optional four-speed automatic. Disc brakes at all four corners provided the stopping power. Steering was courtesy of a power-recirculating ball setup.

The 190 rested on a 104.9-inch wheelbase and had an overall length of 175.1 inches, a height of 54.7 inches, and a width of 66.5 inches.

In the United States, the 1989 190E 2.6 sedan had a base price of around 31,600, and the diesel version (190D) was priced at $30,990.

Mercedes-Benz replaced the carburetor-equipped 190 in 1990 with the fuel-injected 190E 1.8. It had a 1,797cc M102.910 engine (same bore as the M102.962 but with a shorter stroke) and produced the same 107 horsepower and only 111 lb-ft of torque.

Sports Models
Shortly after the introduction of the 190 Series, sports version followed, first in the autumn of 1983 with the 185 horsepower 2.3-16 and then with the even more potent 2.5-16 in 1988. Conceived with motorsports competition in mind, they were equipped with 16-valve twin-cam cylinder heads developed in Britain by Cosworth Engineering. These designs had been forged and fine-tuned through its immensely successful DFV Formula 1 engine. The 2.5-16 engine (in non-catalyst configuration) delivered just over 200 horsepower, losing about ten horsepower with the catalysts installed. The transmission was an inverted Getrag 'box coupled to a limited-slip differential. Zero-to-sixty mph was accomplished in 7.7 seconds and top speed was reached at 140 mph.

The sports models were built to satisfy homologation requirements of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) touring car race series. By the end of the decade, the limited edition Evolution and Evolution 2 versions had arrived.

The Mercedes 190 2.5-16 was given design elements of the motorsport version with fender flares, a wrap-around underbody, an aerodynamic front spoiler, and a rear spoiler on the trunk.

Evolution I
Mercedes-Benz introduced its 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution in March 1989 (a year after BMW's introduction of its M3 Evolution 2) at the Geneva Auto Show. It wore a new rear spoiler and wider wheel arches, and fitted with an adjustable suspension system allowing the ride height to be adjusted from an interior switch. The engine was similar to the 'regular' 2.5-16 with 192 or 201 hp, and bigger brakes to accommodate the increase in power. Changes made to the engine in preparation for racing were an improved lubrication system, improved cam timing, improved rotating mass, and a shorter stroke and bigger bore for a higher rev limit and better power generation.

A total of 502 examples of the Evolution model were produced for homologation. A PowerPack option added improved camshafts, better ignition, an improved fuel management system, a larger diameter throttle body, and updates to the exhaust and intake system. Instead of the single ceramic catalytic converters offered on the regular 2.5, the PowerPack came with twin, metal converters. Output increased by 30 hp, bringing the total to 222 horsepower.

Evolution II
A year after the arrival of the Evo I, Mercedes-Bez introduced its successor again at the Geneva Auto Show. The 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II was equipped with the AMG PowerPack that offered 232 hp at 7,200 RPM and 181 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 RPM. It also came with a full SLS adjustable suspension system operated via an interior switch.

Visually, the Evolution II was a much different car than the Evo I, with its body kit designed by Prof. Richard Eppler from the University of Stuttgart. Wind tunnel testing with the additional aerodynamic elements brought about a reduction in the drag coefficient to 0.29 and increased downforce. The body kit added a rear window spoiler, a larger adjustable rear wing, and Evolution II 17-inch alloy wheels.

A total of 502 examples of the Evolution II were produced, and they were all sold before the car's unveiling. All examples were painted in 'blauschwarz' blue/black metallic except the final two examples which were painted astral silver.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jul 2024