BETTER PARTSFrom the Baby Benz for the classic car
Stuttgart, 28. November 2017
Once controversial, is today a popular classic: The Mercedes-201-series, better known as the 190, is 35 years old. On 8. December 1982, the "Baby was presented-Benz" officially.
Factual, but expensive
Boundless enthusiasm was not particularly in the case of the Mercedes clientele. It was usual, yet noble ingredients, such as chrome and wood, so the 4,42 meters was a long 190 almost provocatively unadorned on the market. In addition, the 190 was not exactly favourable: 25.538 Mark it went almost Double the a short time later, making its debut in Volkswagen Golf II.
Birth in the early 1970s
The history of the W 201, such as the 190 was called internally, began in 1973. In the year of the first oil crisis, the consumption theme to the forefront, at the same time, the Mercedes important US market, strengthened the requirements for fleet consumption. The latter leads, among other things, to the S-class with a Diesel. In the home, the demands are increasing for a compact second car from Mercedes with the usual level of comfort and safety. Here it draws on ideas from the early 1960s, as the Auto-Union and Daimler-belonged to the Benz and the first Mercedes was a compact advanced model called W 118. For chief engineer Hans Scherenberg, the thing is at the beginning of 1974 clearly: "It must be a typical Mercedes-Benz."
Breakthrough with Diesel
A technical Highlight of the series 201 the so-called Space-link rear with five control arms per side. For the Design of the later 190 Bruno Sacco was responsible. Striking is the high rear, which gives the car a very good drag coefficient of 0.34. To Start, there are two diesel with 90 HP (carbureted) and 122 HP (injection). Nonetheless, the buyers in the first months of the year in 1983, back before Mercedes to send the most sound-proof, and 190 D with 72 BHP of power. He creates 160 km/h and is thus by far faster than a more expensive 200 Diesel. The motor selection is increased, with the five-cylinder 190 D 2.5 Turbo or the 190 E 2.6, the series is forced, six-cylinder, quasi with the Shoe horn in the engine compartment.
A man by the name of Senna
The 190 is also at Mercedes pioneered the four-valve technology. Prior to his presentation in the autumn of 1983, the 190 E 2.3-16 with 185 HP will be beaten over the course of Nardo. The result records are long-range world up to 50,000 kilometres and average speeds of almost 250 km/h. Legendary is the 2.3-16 at the opening of the Grand-Prix track of the nürburgring in may 1984 race. 20 racers to compete with identical vehicles, at the end of the then relatively unknown Ayrton Senna wins.
Biedermann and arsonists
Especially in the touring sports of Mercedes 190 cars successfully, between 1988 and 1993, there are factory inserts in the DTM. 1992 Klaus Ludwig master on the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II sedan with the monstrous rear wing is there is a small edition of approximately 500 copies. Quite different is the polarity of the 190 E 1.8 is The entry-level version, with 109 PS comes in 1990, at the right time. New customers in East Germany to meet with the "One-Eighth" your Mercedes-dream. A whopping eleven years, the 190 remains in production, only in 1993 the first C-class replaces it. Whether Cabriolet, or an electric car: What the 190 did not make it in series, you can see in our photo gallery.(rh)