This 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 is #211 of 502 Evolution II examples built, and it was initially delivered in Switzerland. It reportedly remained there with its first two owners until it was relocated to France in 2018, sold on BaT in September 2020, and subsequently imported to the US. Powered by a 2.5-liter Cosworth inline-four paired with a dogleg five-speed manual transmission, the car is finished in Blue Black Metallic over Anthracite leather upholstery. Equipment includes the AMG Power Pack, a limited-slip differential, self-leveling suspension, and 17″ Evo II alloy wheels as well as a sunroof, a rear wing, heated front seats, and air conditioning. Showing 95k kilometers (~59k miles), this W201 Evolution II is now offered on dealer consignment in California with a clean Carfax report and a clean Montana title.
Mercedes-Benz introduced the 190E Evolution in response to BMW’s M3 Sport Evolution for the 1989 model year, and the Evolution II was produced in 1990. It featured more power along with an upgraded aerodynamic package including more aggressive fender flares, a front splitter, a rear window spoiler, and an adjustable rear wing.
Evolution II production totaled 502 examples, which were produced to satisfy Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft homologation requirements, and all but the final two were finished in Blue Black Metallic (199), including this example. The car is also equipped with a power sunroof, asymmetrical side mirrors, a roof-mounted antenna, and a polished grille surround. The hood and right-side doors were repainted under prior ownership.
Evo II 17″ alloy wheels are mounted with 245/40 Yokohama Advan Sport tires that have 2016 production-date codes. The Evolution II features a lower ride height, wider track, and larger brakes than the standard 2.5-16. Adjustable self-leveling suspension was equipped from the factory, and braking is handled by four-wheel ventilated discs with ABS.
The heated and power-adjustable Recaro front seats are upholstered in Anthracite leather, and the dashboard, door panels, and rear seats are trimmed to match. Zebrano wood accents the center console, and additional appointments include air conditioning, power windows, an outside-temperature gauge, and a digital clock. The radio has been removed.
The shift knob displays the dogleg shift pattern and denotes this example as #211 in the series.
The leather-wrapped steering wheel frames VDO instrumentation consisting of a 260-km/h speedometer and a tachometer with a 7,600-rpm redline as well as gauges for coolant temperature, oil pressure, fuel level, and instant fuel economy. Auxiliary gauges located in the center stack display oil temperature and voltage. The six-digit odometer on this 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 shows 95k kilometers (~59k miles).
The 2.5-liter M102 inline-four was developed by Cosworth and features a shorter stroke and larger bore than the standard 2.5-16 model. Evolution II examples are also equipped with the AMG PowerPack, which included a revised throttle body, air intake, camshafts, engine management programming, and exhaust system. Factory-rated output was 232 horsepower.
Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a Getrag five-speed manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential.
