Rare hit: Extremely rare Mercedes goes under the hammer

Created: 02/04/2022, 12:20 p.m

By: Sebastian Oppenheimer

Only 502 examples of the spectacular homologation model Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II were built - now one of the rare vehicles is being auctioned off.

Miami – With the W201, Mercedes-Benz started in the mid-range for the first time in the early 1980s – the aim was to snatch away customers from vehicles like the successful BMW 3 Series.

"Baby-Benz" was sold as the Mercedes 190 - although the forerunner of the C-Class was not necessarily known for its sporty ambitions.

Nevertheless, the people from Stuttgart also wanted to be successful in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) – and according to the regulations, the racing vehicles had to be derived from a production vehicle.

To this end, Mercedes launched the 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II in 1990.

Only 502 copies were built - the prices for collector's vehicles in the corresponding condition are correspondingly high.

Now one of the rare models is going under the hammer - the bids are huge well before the deadline, as reported by 24auto.de.

Only 502 examples of the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II were built.

© Bring a trailer

Rare hit: Extremely rare Mercedes goes under the hammer

Like all of the 502 vehicles built, the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II offered on the “Bring a Trailer” platform is painted in “blue-black metallic”.

Even viewers with little car affinity will notice that this vehicle must be something very special.

Finally, the Evo II, the brand with the star, known above all for its understatement, was equipped with huge fender flares and an even more massive rear wing.

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From today's perspective, the 232 hp that the 2.5-liter four-cylinder developed by Cosworth delivers are of course no longer a sensation - but they ensure the brisk propulsion of the rear-wheel drive Benz.

The gears are sorted by a 5-speed manual gearbox.

This is a so-called dogleg transmission, in which the first gear is located at the bottom left.

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The production number of the model is noted on the gear knob of the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II.

© Bring a trailer

Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II will be auctioned - low mileage

Inside the vehicle is lined with black leather, the speedometer goes up to 260 km/h.

Apart from the switch purchase, on which the production number of the Benz (473) is immortalized in red, the interior is rather unspectacular.

Nevertheless, the Evo II driver does not have to do without any luxury.

On board are electric windows, air conditioning - and the Recaro seats are heated.

A Becker Grand Prix cassette radio provides background music.

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The optically good condition is no coincidence: the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II has just 11,000 miles (around 17,700 kilometers on the clock). Even when it first appeared, the Evo II was anything but cheap: significantly more than 100,000 D- Mark was due for one copy – about three times the price of a “normal” 190. The online auction of the homologation model runs until mid-February, but the highest bid is already 310,000 US dollars (equivalent to almost 280,000 euros).