- the auction website bring a trailer has this 1989 mercedes 190e on offer in an auction that runs through through wednesday afternoon, may 26.
- only 502 190e evolution cars were built, making this particular example more interesting.
- the car's tartan-and-wood interior is almost as big a selling point as the cosworth-built engine and five-speed manual transmission, but note that it'll need to be shipped from the netherlands.
if you're anything like us, it's fair to assume you spend at least a little bit of your spare time scouring the web for cool cars up for sale. in our perusing today we've come across a 1989 mercedes-benz 190e 2.5-16 evolution on bring a trailer, a homologation special built to directly compete with the e30 bmw m3 sport evolution for touring-car supremacy. in total, only 502 of the 190e evo were produced, making them an extremely hot commodity. so far—with the auction ending on may 26—bidding is still at $31,000.
powered by a longitudinally mounted cosworth-built 2.5-liter inline-four, the evolution sends a respectable 202 horsepower to the rear wheels via a five-speed dogleg manual transmission and limited-slip differential; it also revs to a healthy 7200 rpm. the evolution also featured a self-leveling suspension with a selector switch that would lower the car for track use. apart from its race-built engine and trick suspension, the evolution sported a larger wing, flared fenders, and revised front and rear fascias to add to both its looks and downforce.
in a gorgeous hue of blue-black metallic, the 190e evolution essentially looks like the batmobile had a love affair with a dtm touring car, and who wouldn't want that? even the 16-inch alloy wheels suit the car's looks perfectly. move inside and appreciate the bolstered black leather seats, tartan cloth inserts on the seats and door panels, and wood surrounding the shifter. maybe it’s just us, but looking at this interior makes us wish manufacturers would be a bit more adventurous with interior design these days. with around 43,000 miles on the clock and a slew of parts replaced recently, including an overhaul of the self-leveling suspension, we're sure the current bid of $31,000 won't hold for long.