Back in the 1980s and 1990s, if you wanted your model to be eligible for rallying, you had to sell at least 500 units. And Mercedes-Benz wanted to take on the World Rally Championship. Mercedes is no stranger to fast and powerful cars and despite being 30 years old, this car is still a beast. So, with engineering from Cosworth, they produced the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II, which is highlighted a recent video by YouTube channel Petrolicious. Originally the 2.3-16, Mercedes quickly realized it would not be able to take on the likes of the four-wheel drive Audi Quattro in the WRC. So instead, they turned to the racetrack, and German’s touring car series, the DTM. And thus, the 2.5-16 was born.
A Homologation Special
Alain De Cadenet, former Speed Channel and now Petrolicious presenter, has been lucky enough to test the 16 valve monster, which was a homologation special. The 2.5-16, which we will dub from now on as the Evolution II, went into battle with BMW’s M3 as well as against fellow German manufacturer Audi. The Evolution II is a joy to drive, despite its racing prowess, and features a fine-tuned hydropneumatic suspension, as well as a three-position height adjuster, to hunker it down for the track, or raise it up for road use.
Street And Race Variants Are Rare In 2020
Powerful brakes will certainly stop you in a hurry, should you need to. It’s rear wing, as Alain says, shows it means business, and that it was a sign of them trying everything possible to beat their DTM rivals. Alain then shows us under the hood, and it is Cosworth’s 2.5 improved Mercedes engine that, for the street trim, produced 235 hp, and over 350 hp when it came to a racing variant. And in 2020, these powerful cars have become quite a rarity.
A Turn In Fortunes
The Evolution II saw a turn in fortunes for Mercedes, and in 1991 and 1992 they won the manufacturer's championship outright, in a decade of major competition in touring car racing. This was also the height of the super touring era, which led to touring cars becoming almost as expensive as Formula 1 cars. And despite the fact that the styling of these cars may not have been to everyone’s taste, you can’t argue at the sheer unrivaled performance that the Evolution II produced at the time, and how it put Mercedes back on the racing map.
Source: YouTube