What: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3 Sportline Avantgarde azzurro Color:Azzurro Blue(azzurroblau; metallic UNI; 366; Mercedes-Benz) VIN: Unknown Mileage: 130,100 km / 80,840 miles Price at Time of this Writing: €15,000 CarFax: N/A Window Sticker: N/A Location: Private Seller, Münich, Germany Listing:Link
Why We Love It:
One of several cars built in Mercedes-Benz Avantgarde series of W201 190 Es, the 190 E Avantgarde Azzurro is a unique thing indeed. With DTM-harkening 190 EVOs making anything W201 even more interesting, the azzurro and all its 90s German kitsch offer a more unique approach to the package.
Perhaps inspired by other market offerings such as the Volkswagen Color Concept cars, or Wolfsburg’s even more radically quirky Harlequin models, the Avantgardes utilized color in order to dial up the fun factor of a then aging W201 range.
The most notable differences on the Avantgarde azzurro is the use of color. For starters, its Azzurro Blue metallic paint was unique to the Avantgarde offering. Then, much like the Harlequin, it artfully incorporated multiple colors in trim on the seats, big-bolstered rear individual seating, the floor mats, the shift knob and the steering wheel. More substantively for drivers, it also got Mercedes’ Sportline suspension that was 20% stiffer and 23 mm lower than run-of-the-mill 190s.
Only 950 azzurro models were built, though it was their quite literal avant-garde nature that likely played into Mercedes’ choice to not sell the cars in the U.S.A. Fortunately, they’re now old enough for import and this clean and preserved example has just come on the market near Münich, listed for sale by an individual.
This is one of our Euro market finds, so the usual caveats apply for our primarily North American readership. For Europe and other markets, we focus on cars older than 25 years, meaning a relatively easy import into the USA. This is often done by working with firms such as our friends at Orchid Euro, you can have the car purchased, transported to port, shipped to America and cleared through customs for clients seeking this sort of service.
There’s no doubt that the so-called “Rad Era” of the 80s and 90s is one of the hottest segments in the classic car space. As Generation X ages and builds disposable income, more and more attention is being paid to the cars and fantasy cars of their youth. Throw in racing homologation provenance and you have a recipe for a win. Such is the case of the DTM-spec Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evo II.
This final evolution of Mercedes’ 190 E (W201) was built with the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (a.k.a. DTM) touring car series in mind. That’s the same series that birthed the E30 M3, and while the box-flared Bimmer achieved icon and unaffordable status many years ago, the 190 E 2.5-16 is only more recently rediscovered. Prices have shot up over the last few years, and it’s likely this attention that inspired the team at a company by the name of HWA to consider a reinvention of the car.
What is HWA? The acronym represents the initials of company founder Hans-Werner Aufrecht. The firm began business in motorsport back in 1999, managing motorsport campaigns for Mercedes- directly.
HWA is a German engineering and racing-specialist firm with deep ties to AMG and the motorsport wing of Mercedes-Benz, creating strong and authentic ties to the marque of the three-pointed star. In part as celebration of HWA’s now 25 years of success with Mercedes-AMG, HWA began to envision the EVO as a collaboration with the restoration firm Curated. HWA plans to build just 100 units of their HWA EVO, aiming for a serious and substantive augmentation that will cost a cool €714,000.
Each build will begin with a W201 chassis that is inspected by the HWA engineering team before replacing 75% of the car. This replacement includes removal of front and rear portions of the original steel chassis, replacing them with sub-frames manufactured in high-strength steel in order to improve rigidity. The A, B and C pillars are also replaced, resulting in a net result of doubling the car’s torsional stiffness – effectively elevating the W201 shell to modern supercar standards.
HWA also moves the front axle 50 mm forward in order to allow the car’s 3.0-liter biturbo V6 to sit lower in the chassis. The car’s 6-speed manual gearbox gets relocated to the rear, bestowing the car with a lower center of gravity and perfect 50:50 weight distribution.
The car also gets DTM-derived wishbones, machined wheel carriers, Brembo brakes (steel or ceramic), KW dampers (electric or manually adjustable), and H&R roll-bars. And all this top of the line component kit is expected, you’ll also be surprised to hear that HWA has worked with Bosch to develop ESP and ABS systems for the car, not to mention bespoke engine tuning.
Typical of the price and the remaster segment where the HWA EVO sits, carbon fiber bodywork is definitely part of the mix, dropping the car’s curb weight even further.
Yes, we typically search for cars coming onto the market in North America, but when they’re old enough to import easily and exceptionally cool, we tend to look outside the confines of the U.S. and Canada. And when we do, we find cars like this Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 in Almadin Red (almadinrot; metallic UNI; DB 512 / 512U; Mercedes-Benz).
About the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 In General
Homologation cars are always cool, but the W201-based 190E 2.3-16 and later 190E 2.5-16 have been garnering an extra level of enthusiast cult-following. Homologated for Group A, this meant Mercedes had to build 5,000 cars within a year’s time. They did so easily, and the model proved so popular that it continued into 1993, building almost 19,500.
An updated version like this one was shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1988, featuring revised front and rear aprons, larger bumpers, redesigned interior and an upgraded 16-valve engine with its Cosworth-developed head now bumped to 2.5-liters. And while the 2.3-16 had been sold in the USA, the 2.5-16 and other evolutions never made it here.
More information not he model in general can be found HERE and HERE.
Along with the update, several colors were aded including the one you see here – Almadin Red. While this specification isn’t a special paint, it is relatively rare than the much more common silvers. Three shades of silver were offered – Smoke Silver, Astral Silver and Brilliant Silver. Blue-Black was also offered, but Almadin Red was the only vibrant color, which makes it stand out.
About Buying a Vintage Car from Europe
Though importing modern cars from other markets can be incredibly complex and expensive, importation of vehicles older than 25 years for the U.S.A. and 15 years for Canada can be much simpler and rewarding. Nevertheless, there are challenges that you’ll need to consider.
First up will be assessment of the car. Most listing sites like the one linked here tend to feature lower-resolution photos and descriptions typically more akin to what you’d find on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, not the über thorough assessments and histories we’ve come to obsess over on sites such as Bring A Trailer. Finding someone over there to get eyes on the car is definitely a major advantage.
Next up will be arranging exportation from country of origin, shipping, handling at the port of entry, paying duties and getting registered in your home location. These are not easy tasks, but trivial for the more and more companies catering to these services.
We’ve had experience working with one such firm, Orchid Euro. Jamie Orr, owner of Orchid Euro, worked with his team and network to get first hand eyes on in Europe, ground transport to a German port, shipment on a new vehicle transport vessel, handled it at the American port and even helped guide on getting the car titled. Worth noting, Orchid Euro isn’t the only company out there doing these sorts of things, so search them out if you prefer another similar service.
About this Car
Here’s what we know about the car from its listing. Since it’s on AutoScout, it’s not in English so we’ve taken the liberty of having it run through Apple Safari’s translation.
Location: Castelldefels, Italy
Country Version: Spain
Initial Registration: 01/1989
Mileage Logged: 197,000 km, converts to 122,410 miles
Asking Price: €29,000 Euros
Below is the Translated Description. Please note, this is as translated so creates some odd terminology like “roof of crystal”:
Exclusive Mercedes 190 in color ALMANDINE RED. Production data and extras:
Order Location FRANKFURT BRANCH
Interior FABRIC BLACK (071)
Paint 1 ALMADIN RED METALLIC (512U)
Approx. Build Date 1988-11 Code Description 240 OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR 412 ELECTRIC SLIDING ROOF WITH TILTING DEVICE 442 AIRBAG IN STEERING WHEEL 466 CENTRAL LOCKING MECHANISM 506 AUSSENRÜCKSPIEGEL, LINKS UND RECHTS, GEHEZT (FLÜCKLICH VERSTELLBARE AUF DER RECHTEN) 510 MB RADIO EXQUISIT WITH VK, RDS (BECKER) 531 AUTOMATIC ANTENNA 551 ANTI-THEFT/ANTI-BREAK-IN WARNING SYSTEM 583 ELECTRIC WINDOW LIFTERS (FRONT DOORS) 591 HEAT-INSULATING GLASS, ALL-AROUND, HEATED REAR WINDOW PANE (SINGLE-SHEET SAFETY GLASS) 600 HEADLAMP WIPER/WASHER 673 HIGH-CAPACITY BATTERY 873 SEAT HEATER FOR LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SEATS 876 RÜCKTÜRN-SPACHTEN UND LEUCHTE OBEN HINTERFENSTER
Recién hecha revisión completa en taller Mercedes especializado;
oils and complete filters.
original engine mounts
front suspension towers and new springs.
gas air conditioning
brake fluid
steering shock absorber
caps de resendo dirección.
juntas motor tapa de balancines.
Etc.
Alternator and clutches recently replaced. ITV just last.
Extras Featured equipment selected by the user
– Installation of lava headlights – Heated front seats – Temperature indicator outside – Air conditioning – Front electric lifts – Alloy tires – Metallic paint – Electric lifting sliding roof of crystal
