Mercedes 190 was instantly given the nickname ”Baby-Benz” when it was launched in the early 1980s. Now there is two mean examples of these babies for sale on Bilweb Auctions: a 2,3-16 Cosworth and an Evolution II replica with AMG V8.
The 2,3-16 was delivered in June 1987 to a businessman in the South of Sweden. After two years and 40 000 kilometers a married couple, Siv and Bernard, took over the car. They drove it during the summers up until 2012, mainly for high-speed trips the Bernards homeland Switzerland.
Since 2014 it has been used very sparingly, driven only 3000 kilometers. All MOT protocols has been saved together with a complete service booklet. The 2,3-16 was designed as a result of Mercedes racing ambitions for the German DTM touring car racing with their new 190. British tuning specialist Cosworth developed a 320 horse power engine, but DTM regulations stated that the racing cars had to be based on a roadgoing model, so called homologation. The end result was the 2,3-16, with a detuned variant of the Cosworth engine producing 183 horse power.
The auction car can, with its automatic gearbox, be described as a well equipped comfort version of the 2,3-16. It also has a hydro pneumatic hight adjustment, leather upholstery och sun roof.
- A homologation car with a limited production definitely keeps its value. To find such a car in a wonderful untouched original state is not common, says Peter Sundfeldt, valuer at Bilweb Auctions.
The market value of the 2,3-16 is estimated at between 380 000 and 400 000 SEK.
To the auction
An even meaner ”Baby-Benz” is a 190 from 1987, built both for street use and and the racing track, brutally equipped with an AMG-tuned kompressor V8. What more, the rest of the car is heavily modified in pure racing style with, for example, foam fuel tank, oil catch tank and 6 piston brake calipers from Brembo. In track mode, with the kompressor connected ,the engine is adapted for 98 octane fuel and produces 482 more power at 6100 rpm.
In street mode it runs on ethanol and the output is then stated at 371 horse power.
Bilweb Auctions’ valuer Marten Carlsson describes the car as ”more of a tribute to then a replica of the 190 Evolution II from 1990”. The ”Evo II” was a high performance variant made in only 502 examples in years 1990 and 1991, now with the Cosworth unit tuned to 232 horse power.
The market value of this Super-Benz is estimated at between 450 000 and 600 000 SEK.
To the auction
Both auctions closes October 12.
