MERCEDES 190 E EVOLUTION II
Words Tommaso Mogge / Photos Mercedes-Benz Media
What are the characteristics that turn a car into a legend? We could give infinite answers to this seemingly obvious question, but the one that more than any other sees everyone agree on is linked to what the model in question represents. It is useless to hide behind a finger, especially when the trunk is equipped with an immediately recognizable wing that immediately goes straight to the heart of the subject. The 190 E Evolution II is a true symbol of raw power, where every single detail plays a specific role in the race for maximum performance according to Mercedes-Benz. But not all that glitters is gold.
Designed with the precise task of homologating the sibling version destined for Group A and also beating the on road competition mainly represented by the BMW M3 E30 of the 80s, the E 190 Evo II – as it is commonly abbreviated – embodies all those traits that position it on the highest steps of the preferences of enthusiasts. Certainly the merit is not only of the three-pointed star, given that the engine was built in the UK by Cosworth and the gearbox is a Getrag, the same used on the rival M3, but to be honest, the crazy idea of an out of the box project like this was wanted with a very specific purpose, that is to represent the peak performance and decline it on a model that starts out as a peaceful sedan with a sober look and without any sporty ambitions, but which actually had the obligation to aesthetically reflect the details of the counterpart intended for racing.
The Evo II is a tornado that distorts the very concept of street legal cars, thanks to a body kit studded with edges, side skirts and the immense rear wing that remind us that this model was actually designed for competitions in the DTM championship. A track car loaned to the road and produced in just 502 units, 500 of which in black/blue metallic and the remaining two in silver. The striking aesthetic transformation compared to the base model gave it an aerodynamic coefficient of just 0.29, a value of absolute respect for a four-door sedan. Then there are 17-inch wheels that fit 245” tires, which appear perfectly incorporated by the wheel arches thanks to a set-up that unfortunately betrays the warlike ambitions declared by such a look, resulting too soft and suffering both in terms of understeer and even worst a heavy body roll.
That violent behavior that is expected after being attacked by a look that does not know the word compromise is not gonna come, first of all due to the already criticized suspension setting which maintain the dynamic behavior of any E 190 of the era, passing through an engine that waits an eternity before reaching the peak torque and then does not push properly even when it is close to the red line. The racing sister obtained the first three positions in the 1992 DTM championship, continuing the trail of successes inaugurated in 1984 with the previous model thanks to a young Brazilian driver named Ayrton Senna. The road model is a completely different story and houses a 4-cylinder 2.5-liter Cosworth engine under the hood capable of delivering 235 horsepower and 245 Nm of torque through a 5-speed manual gearbox that barks up to 7,200 rpm. Power is obviously dispensed only on the rear axle and a total weight of 1,340 kg allows performance of 7 seconds for the 0-100 and 250 per hour of maximum speed. Not bad, at least on paper, but driving involvement is sedated by a whole series of shortcomings that make the E 190 Evo II a failed promise with the great fortune of not having been “unmasked” by most, thus maintaining that glow of automotive splendor mainly thanks to its unmistakable charisma.
Inside the passenger compartment you are greeted by leather and wooden panels that allow you to maintain the sense of luxury and comfort offered by the civilized counterpart, while finding other defects that do nothing but penalize the needs of a performance-oriented driving, such as the large diameter of the steering wheel and the lack of reactivity of the steering itself, literally unchanged compared to the E 190 of your dear old grandfather. When asked what are the characteristics that turn a car into a legend, start with the details that leave no room for doubt. That wing says it all. You will notice how, especially when talking about models that belonged to a not too remote era, yet so far away, it happens to get carried away by urban legends and myths handed down and distorted that for better or for worse consecrate a car that is anything but deserving, among the most desired ever. Gotta throw everything in the trash then? Absolutely not, because with all its flaws – and there are many – the Evo II deserves immortality, because it represents the simplest and most primordial desire to be something that makes sense and exist precisely because it is something outside the box.