For many American car enthusiasts, the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 often resides in the shadow of the legendary BMW E30 M3. Despite Mercedes-Benz being ahead of the curve with sixteen-valve technology, the US-spec “Cosworth Benz” arrived slower, pricier, and arguably more subtly styled than its iconic Bavarian rival. History, and the internet, have largely cemented this verdict: the E30 M3 commands high resale values, boasts a fervent owner base, and even has its own dedicated BMW Car Club of America (BMWCCA) Special Interest Group. Meanwhile, the 190E 2.3-16 can often be found languishing in online classifieds, sometimes showing signs of rust and deferred maintenance. It’s a somewhat unfortunate fate for a car with such potential.
Yet, the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 boasts a distinguished motorsport heritage. Ayrton Senna himself was among the first to race this model, achieving victory at the Nürburgring in 1984. Decades later, the 190E’s racing story culminated, perhaps less famously, but no less significantly, with another driver taking the wheel in a different kind of competition.
In February 2005, automotive expert Aaron Greenberg was entrusted to undertake a significant project: rebuilding a well-used, 236,000-mile 190E 2.3-16, essentially a ‘basket case’, for participation in that year’s One Lap of America event. After investing $8,000 in parts and countless hours in bodywork and mechanical labor, Greenberg delivered a car that performed remarkably close to its original 1986 European specifications. During the One Lap drag strip challenge, it achieved a 17.839-second quarter-mile time, placing it seventy-ninth overall – notably, just ahead of a non-turbo Chrysler PT Cruiser.
Across approximately 3,800 miles and timed events across nine different racetracks, the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 displayed unwavering mechanical reliability. Upon its initial release, the W201 “baby Benz” faced criticism for being perceived as too compact and having a somewhat basic interior – criticisms that perhaps missed the mark as tastes and expectations evolved. Compared to many luxury cars of the 1990s from various manufacturers, the 190E exudes robustness, timeless styling, and a build quality that feels exceptionally durable. During extended eighteen-hour driving days, the 190E’s generously sized steering wheel and its unique control layout proved surprisingly well-suited for long-distance journeys, prioritizing comfort and control over sportiness.
Contemporary automotive journalists often highlight the 2.3-16’s “dogleg” first gear, positioned down and to the left of the traditional ‘H’ pattern. While it might seem unusual at first, and perhaps slightly inconvenient for everyday driving, on the racetrack, its benefits become apparent. It streamlines the critical third-to-second gear shift during performance driving, making it intuitive and reducing the risk of accidentally selecting the wrong gear – the dreaded “money shift” from fourth to first.
Driving a pre-W210 Mercedes-Benz for any significant period often leads to the realization that these cars were genuinely “engineered like no other.” The weighting and responsiveness of the controls are remarkably well-balanced. While the braking system isn’t designed for dedicated track use, it provides consistent and communicative performance even over multiple laps. Upgrading to wider wheels and tires (in this case, 215-width Kumho MX tires on 17-inch AMG wheels, a larger size than originally fitted) significantly elevates cornering capabilities, bringing them closer to what you might expect from a contemporary sports sedan like a Ford Fusion Sport or Mazda3. However, in terms of outright straight-line speed, the modestly powered 190E (producing around 170 horsepower for a vehicle weighing approximately 3,000 pounds) will be outpaced by most modern cars, except for the most underpowered economy models.
Similar to a Chevrolet Corvette, Lexus IS, or a newer Honda Civic Si, the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 is steered more by visual input than by heavy physical effort. The transition from grip to understeer is predictable and clearly communicated to the driver, although the nuances of this transition could be more detailed. This steering feel is characteristic of Autobahn-tuned cars, designed to filter out minor inputs and prevent unwanted steering oscillations at high speeds. During a late-night drive alongside more powerful vehicles through winding Carolina backroads, the W201 chassis’ inherent balance compensated for the less-than-granular steering, allowing for controlled slides and recoveries despite fatigue and darkness. It was possible to maintain position with faster BMWs and Corvettes for extended stretches of challenging driving.
Naturally, a cross-country drive wouldn’t be complete without some top-speed testing. Somewhere, shall we say, to the east of Laramie, the 190E 2.3-16 was pitted against its spiritual successor, a Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG, to assess its maximum velocity. Acceleration through fourth gear was consistent, if not particularly rapid. However, the often-cited 140 mph top speed proved elusive. A quick flash of the headlights allowed the C55 to accelerate away as the 190E’s speedometer needle hovered around the 210 km/h mark. Despite this, even at these speeds, the twenty-year-old Mercedes tracked straight and confidently through the wind.
The 190E 2.3-16 finished the 2005 One Lap of America just behind a HEMI-powered Dodge Magnum and ahead of an E39 BMW M5 – a respectable result for a car that would struggle to keep pace with a Nissan Sentra SE-R on level ground. However, it was significantly behind the overall leaders of the event. After seven days of driving, participating in half of the track events and completing the majority of the transit stages, the driver emerged surprisingly refreshed. The engineers behind these older Mercedes-Benz models clearly possessed a deep understanding of vehicle design when they created the W201. It remains a uniquely appealing small sedan, perhaps because it feels less like a completely new approach and more like a W124 260E (which debuted later) that has been subtly downsized.
Mercedes-Benz ultimately shifted its competitive strategy against BMW, opting to acquire AMG and task them with tuning their smaller sedans for increased power and straight-line performance. Nonetheless, the record from 2005 shows that despite being outpaced overall by the E36 and E46 BMW M3s, the 190E 2.3-16 excelled on tighter and more demanding tracks like BeaveRun and Nelson Ledges, sometimes outpacing its Munich rivals by ten to fifteen seconds. There was an undeniable magic inherent in this older Mercedes, even after 236,000 miles. It raises the question: how many contemporary German cars will be able to make the same claim after similar mileage and years of service?
