Mercedes-Benz 190 E 1.8 W201
Year of Manufacture: 1991
Power: 109 hp
Engine Displacement: 1,797 cm3
Number of Cylinders/Valves: 4/2
Weight: 1,160 kg
Condition: excellent
Catalog Number: 9
Introduction
At the beginning of the 1980s, Mercedes offered only seven vehicles. Except for one coupe, one roadster, and one commercial model, there were four sedans – all targeted at a more demanding clientele. However, various factors gradually pushed the brand to enter entirely new segments aimed at much broader customer groups.
As a result, even before 1977, the future C-Class began to take shape in the minds of designers. It was introduced five years later, bearing the internal designation W201. However, it was better known to the public under the names 190 and 190E (or the nickname “baby Benz”), as the official C-Class designation only came in 1993.
Development
From January 1974 to January 1982, Mercedes spent more than 2.25 billion German marks on the research and development of the W201, subsequently declaring it “massively over-engineered,” as evidenced by features like ABS, seat belt pretensioners, multi-link rear suspension, and multi-point fuel injection. The company began testing early prototypes in 1978, with the final design approved on March 6, 1979. The W201 was officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1982.
Technical Specifications
Besides refined engineering, the Mercedes 190 and 190E boasted incredible reliability. Most examples managed to cover 500,000 km without a single serious mechanical issue. This was true even for models powered by a turbodiesel engine, which in the 1980s was not exactly at the forefront of development.
In autumn 1983, the “whispering” two-liter diesel 190 D with 53 kW (72 hp) was introduced. It was truly quiet for its time and also economical. The company also launched a very different model: the 190 E 2.3-16. The 2.3-liter engine with a four-valve head by Cosworth produced 136 kW (185 hp). By summer 1983, three slightly aerodynamically optimized cars broke world records for long distances: 25,000 and 50,000 kilometers, and 25,000 miles (40,225 km). The 190 E 2.3-16 was also homologated in Group A.
The 190 series underwent two facelifts during its long lifetime: in 1988 and 1991. The portfolio gradually expanded. For example, Americans received versions 190 D 2.2 and 190 E 2.3. In 1985, the five-cylinder diesel 190 D 2.5 with 66 kW (90 hp) and the six-cylinder gasoline 190 E 2.6 with 122 kW (166 hp) debuted.
The sporting peak came with the truly sharp 190 E 2.5-16. The production car debuted in 1988 with 143 kW (195 hp). Development continued up to 173 kW (235 hp) and to the widely expanded and iconic Evolution II version. The homologation special for the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) was built in 1990 in just 502 copies for regular road use (minimum required was 500), and its four-cylinder produced 245 Nm of torque. AMG helped develop the race car, and Klaus Ludwig was the best driver in the 1992 season in this car.
The “190” was replaced in May 1993 by the first generation of the C-Class (W202). With it, Mercedes-Benz introduced a new naming system still used today. The W201 thus spent more than a decade on the production lines in Sindelfingen. Production there ended in February that year, but it continued in Bremen until August, mostly for export. A total of 1,879,629 cars left both plants.
