Those old enough to remember the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) of the early 90s will recall the fierce rivalry between BMW and Mercedes on track. Both the iconic BMW E30 M3 evolution from Munich and Stuttgart’s legendary Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II battling magnificently for victory around the Nürburgring. Indeed, the hugely successful sports sedan became a milestone in Mercedes history, demonstrating to the world that the prestige automaker could produce extremely capable race cars.
Unveiled at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show, the Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II, was one of the most iconic sports sedans of the 90s. Despite possessing one of the longest names in motoring history, the Evo II, as it became succinctly known, stunned the automotive world with its striking race car appearance. Based on the W201 190 chassis, Mercedes tweaked the luxury sedan to satisfy DTM homologation rules. Not satisfied with its achievements on the racetrack with the Mercedes 190E Evolution I, Stuttgart’s engineers enhanced the aerodynamics and raised the power output of the engine. This also included the installation of an enormous adjustable rear wing for increased down force. Mercedes-Benz, unequivocally, only had one primary objective, to win the German Touring Car Championship outright. However, to be victorious, it had to beat Munich's ‘Ultimate Driving Machine' - the BMW M3 Evo.
Indeed, the engineers from Mercedes-Benz had succeeded as the iconic race car dominated the German Touring Car racing scene of that era, with the Evo II winning 16 of the 24 races of the 1992 DTM Championship and claiming all top three positions.
Mercedes built only 502 examples of the sports sedan. All 500 units sold before they even hit the showrooms. The two remaining rare silver models are in the Mercedes Museum. With limited examples, its rarity means they seldom appear in the classifieds. The 190E Evo II has become much sought after, and prices in recent years have skyrocketed.
AMG Tuned Cosworth Engine
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The Mercedes sports sedan came equipped with a re-worked naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-four engine, incorporating AMG Power pack upgrades. Although AMG were independent back then, they supplied parts for the Mercedes DTM team. These included a revised throttle body, camshafts, air intake, engine management, and a meaty exhaust system. What’s more, Mercedes engineers managed to squeeze more power from the Cosworth unit, which now had a shorter stroke and a larger bore than the Evo I. This resulted in an output of 235 horsepower at 7200rpm and 181 lb-ft of torque. For those interested, the actual DTM Evo II race car produced 368 horsepower at 9500 rpm and weighed only 980kg.
Furthermore, the race engine was now paired to a Getrag, close-ratio five-speed transmission, with a limited-slip differential.
What's The Evo II Like On The Road
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The Mercedes 190E Evo II is a fascinating driving machine. The epitome of raw power. It may not be blisteringly quick, but it represented precision engineering at its finest. Apart from engine modifications, the real changes came from the perfectly tuned chassis and aerodynamic enhancements. As a result, the Evo II felt tauter and sharper around the bends allowing you to access the full performance potential of the tweaked AMG inline-four power plant.
The adjustable rear wing is not for aesthetic appeal but keeps the back end of the Merc pressed firmly on the tarmac. Despite weighing 2,954 lbs, the Mercedes Evo II took 7.1 seconds to reach 60 mph from a standing start and topped at 155 mph. No doubt, impressive figures for the early 90s. Furthermore, the adjustable suspension has three settings, and the beefy brakes provide improved stopping power.
Granted, it may lack the razor-sharp handling of the BMW M3 Evo, however, the Merc’s analog character makes it a rewarding driver's car.
The Outrageous Design Of The 190E
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The Evo II still looks stunning today. However, in the early ’90s, there was nothing like this outrageous Mercedes sports sedan. The aggressive stance and aerodynamic body kit transformed the middle-class luxury sedan into a DTM racer for the road. No doubt, attention is immediately drawn to the colossal rear wing, which contradicts the luxurious image of the three-pointed star.
The rear wing was not only its distinguishing feature. Indeed, the radical body kit came with a rear window spoiler, muscular flared wheel arches accommodating the gorgeous 17-inch Evo race alloys, and a front spoiler with an extendable lip. What’s more, the Evo II was only available in one color, a gorgeous blue-black metallic.
The well-built, conservative cabin is virtually identical to the 190E 2.5-16 Cosworth, including the huge steering wheel, which appears slightly odd in this outrageous race machine. However, the sports sedan featured special leather seats, extra switchgear for the adjustable suspension, and the altered rev counter, which distinguished its stablemates. In addition, the gear shifter proudly marks the Merc’s production number, reminding the driver is in a race-bred homologation special.
How Much Is The Evo II Worth Today?
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Those fortunate to own a Mercedes 190E Evo II will certainly have made a prudent investment. Not only is the Mercedes limited to 500 units worldwide, today, the values of the DTM racer are stratospheric.
In 1990, a Mercedes 190E Evo II would have set you back a cool $80,000. According to classic.com, the average price over the last five years is around the $270,000 mark. However, an Evo II sold last month in the US with Bring A Trailer Auctions for an eye-watering $425,000!