Forget the sixteen valves
The Mercedes 190 sixteen-valve engines have a greater reputation than the 190 E 2.6, and that is why the 2.3-16 and 2.5-16, and certainly the Evolution versions of the latter, are for sale for enormous sums. The performance of the four-cylinder sixteen-valve engines and the performances of the racing versions in the DTM championship in the 1980s and 1990s contribute to this. But you could also get the 190, a typical child of the 80s, with a six-cylinder petrol engine. The 190 E 2.6. We’ll set off with such a copy.
Okay, the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution has more power, is rarer and more sensational than the perhaps more sedate 2.6, but with that six-cylinder, this 190 embodies just about everything that Mercedes-Benz stands for: extremely comfortable traveling in a virtually indestructible car. . Because the 190 (W201), which celebrated its fortieth anniversary in November 2022, is absolutely solid. It wasn’t even cheaper than a comparable and larger 200 (W123). There is therefore no reason to be hesitant about the odometer reading of 340,000 kilometers. You don’t notice it anywhere and you don’t notice it while driving. If you have ever driven a 190D or regular 190E, you know how incredibly well this car drives for a ‘small’ Mercedes. During its introduction, people affectionately referred to it as the Baby Benz, but a baby that is just as mature as its bigger brothers. This is partly due to the famous Raumlenkerhinterachse, which debuted on the 190 in 1982. The development of the W201 started in 1978. The rear suspension is a true masterpiece, with no fewer than five wishbones per wheel, for optimal road contact.
This inline six was the basic engine of the S-class generation W126.
The 160 hp six-cylinder engine takes the driving experience to an even higher level and, in combination with all the luxury in this car, you wonder why you would buy a young car. Cruise control, air conditioning, electric windows; it’s all there. At most, you would want a better chair; the seat is flat and hard. If we look under the hood, it is noticeable that the inline-six only just fits and that it was probably not the intention to install such a large engine in the 190 in the first place. As a result, the center of gravity is slightly further forward. You may notice this at extremely high cornering speeds, but that is not why you buy this wonderful travel car. The tranquility that the six-cylinder with automatic transmission radiates makes it the ultimate 190.
No type designation on the back of this copy.
This copy was for sale during the test drive for €9,950, is from 1989 and had 340,000 kilometers on the clock at that time.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl