1986 Mercedes 190E Cosworth

The Mercedes-Benz W201 was a compact executive saloon car manufactured by Mercedes-Benz from 1982 to 1993. Supposedly, Mercedes spent over £600 million researching and developing the 190 and subsequently it was deemed "over-engineered' in an era when Mercedes engineering was widely revered.

In the late 1970s, Mercedes had some good results competing in rallying with V8-powered R107 Series Coupés and naturally they were keen to build on this success by taking the 190E on a similar path. Not having the expertise in house at the time, Mercedes approached British engineering company Cosworth, to develop a competitive engine for the rally car. Unfortunately this project took off just as the Audi Quattro, with its all-wheel drive and turbocharger was launched, making the 2.3-16v appear somewhat outclassed. With a continued desire for the 190 to succeed in high profile motor sport, and also now a state of the art engine with which to do it, Mercedes turned to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) (German Touring Car Championship) motor sport series instead.

However, cars racing in this championship had to be based on a road-going model, a minimum number of which had been sold to the public, so Mercedes therefore had to put into series production a 190 fitted with a detuned version of the Cosworth engine. This high-performance model was known as the 190E 2.3-16, and debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 1983. In road-going trim, the 2.3 Ltr. 16-valve engine produced 185 bhp with acceleration from 0-62 mph in less than eight seconds, and a top speed of 143 mph. The engine is considered to be remarkably flexible with a very flat torque curve and a wide power band.

There were other notable changes over the standard 190. The body-kit on the 2.3-16 reduced the drag coefficient to 0.32, one of the lowest CD values on a four-door saloon at the time, whilst also reducing lift at speed. The steering ratio was quicker and the steering wheel smaller than that on other 190s, whilst the fuel tank was enlarged from 55 to 70 litres. The Getrag 5-speed manual gearbox was unique to the 16-valve and featured a 'racing' gear pattern with a 'dog-leg' first gear. An oil cooler was fitted to ensure sufficient oil cooling for the inevitable track use for which many of these cars were destined.

The strictly four-seater interior had Recaro sports seats with strong side bolsters for front and rear passengers. Three extra dials, an oil temperature gauge, stopwatch and voltmeter were included in the centre console. The 190E 2.3-16 was only available in two colours, Blue-Black metallic or Smoke Silver. The suspension on 16-valve models is very different from the standard 190, as well as being lower and stiffer - it has quicker dampers, larger anti-roll bars, harder bushes, a limited slip differential and hydraulic self-levelling suspension (SLS) on the rear. This allows the rear ride height to remain constant even when the car is fully loaded.

Originally supplied in July 1986 by Mercedes-Benz in Brentford, this left hand drive car is offered in original condition and has covered only 17,710 kilometers from new. Finished in Blue/Black metallic, the car presents and drives very well. It has been well-maintained and apparently garaged all of it's life. The V5 document shows it to be a one owner car, having been UK registered and always based here.

This fine example of an iconic Mercedes sports saloon comes with its original hand-book, service schedule (showing numerous stamps) and sales brochure. All original keys supplied with the car are present, as are ten old MOT certificates to authenticate the mileage. Among the collection of invoices, there is one showing the car was last serviced in May 2013 at 17,514 kilometers. It has a current MOT until November 11th 2015. A rare opportunity to buy a low mileage 80's real classic, sure to prove a worthwhile investment.