The story of the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 and 2.5-16 kicked off when Mercedes decided its new compact saloon, the 190, with its low-drag body and fancy multi-link rear suspension, would be the ideal base for a rally car. But to trump the likes of the BDA-powered Ford Escorts it needed more oomph. So in came Cosworth who designed a new cylinder head, and a few other bits to create a twin-cam 16-valve competition engine. As per the rules of the time, a homologated road-going version would be also need to be built to allow the rally car to be eligible to compete.

Then Audi arrived on the rally scene with the four-wheel-drive, turbocharged Quattro, and the rear-drive 190 Cosworth became obsolete before it got to play in the dirt. Mercedes-Benz persisted with the road car and launched the 190E 2.3-16 in 1983, and turned its competition aspirations to Group A circuit racing.

In 1987 the Cosworth was updated. The engine was enlarged to 2.5 litres (hence the badge 2.5-16) by increasing the stroke, and a new crank, conrods, pistons and reprofiled camshafts saw an extra 22 horsepower and 5Nm of torque. The purpose of the update was to better suit the Cosworth with Mercedes’s luxury and sophistication values.

Description by seller:
Very tidy right-hand-drive example of the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 that has been tastefully upgraded even further with the addition of a T3 turbo and the required internal modifications. Front brakes, alloy wheels and steering wheel have been replaced with AMG items but the rest remains as per the original Cosworth 190E - including the 'dog-leg' Getrag gearbox and limited-slip differential.

Bodywork and interior are in exceptionally good condition and despite being original, show very little in the way of wear and tear. The solidness and lack of any play in suspension and steering make it feel like a modern car, and while the turbo adds a decent kick at higher RPM, it remains a comfortable and practical ride when trundling through the traffic.

This Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Cosworth is available to view in Johannesburg by appointment.

Reminders to bidders:

• A buyer's premium of 5% (which includes VAT) for cars and bikes applies.
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• The maximum buyer's premium is capped at R100 000 incl. VAT for cars and bikes (eg. if R3 000 000 is bid, buyer's premium = R100 000 and total cost = R3 100 000).

Classic Car Africa aims to present each lot as accurately as possible but it is the responsibility of the bidder to be 100% satisfied with the condition of the lot before placing a bid.