Everyone was in identical 16 valves and Senna dominated the event. In fact the original 190E 16v essentially launched Ayrton Senna’s career when he embarrassed the Grand Prix regulars aboard one during a promotional race to commemorate the opening of the revised Nurburgring GP circuit in 1984. This agile 2.3 liter sedan was a ball to drive and was ground zero for a small series of milestone pocket rockets for street and track. A Getrag 5-speed, tube headers, and mild cosmetic tweaks completed a neat package.

Power jumped to a respectable 185 HP (167 HP US). The result was the 190E 16 valve models in 2.3 (US 1986-1987 only) and 2.5 (Euro only) liter variants. The German Touring Car Championship (DTM) beckoned as a racing series to extend the 190E’s sporting appeal and with this in mind Mercedes looked to the British engineering concern Cosworth to liven up the anemic 136 HP 8-valve 2.3 liter four. And so the “Baby Benz” was born.Īfter four years of global sales success Mercedes began to focus on the 190 as a platform for something more dynamic and sporty…and competition worthy. The 190E 2.3 (W201) arrived in the US in late 1983 and was an immediate success that offered a far more youthful group of buyers access to the legendary brand. A quarter of a century has elapsed since Mercedes-Benz debuted the ultimate derivative of what began in 1982 as a very sedate series of compact sedans.

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