Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-16 Revisted

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Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-16 Revisted

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GCF Original Feature - 1986 MB 190E 2.3-16V
GCF Feature Photos - 1986 MB 190E 2.3-16V

The four-valve rocket from Untertürkheim

Excitement among the automotive experts on November 29, 1982: the third Mercedes-Benz model series - in the form of the long-awaited compact Mercedes-Benz 190/190 E - appeared on the automotive world stage. A sensation, as it would turn out, because in terms of design, suspension, engine and lightweight materials, this Mercedes differed distinctively from its brand brethren, the Mercedes mid-series, as it was called at the time, and the S-Class. Today, the model designations are a lot more simple: C-Class, E-Class and S-Class. The virtually avant-garde design with distinctive wedge shape and angular lines, high rear-end and almost vertical air-flow breakaway edge was outstanding - and somewhat confusing for purists. Engineers were intrigued by the extremely low Cd value, the shock-absorber strut front suspension and above all by the new multi-link independent rear suspension which opened up new dimensions in dynamics, handling safety and ride comfort. And on top of all this, the new models were really fast. The Mercedes-Benz 190 and 190 E had top speeds of just under and above 200 km/h, respectively - at a fairly low fuel consumption. For the initiated, the expansion of the new model series was just a question of time. They felt that a diesel-engined version should be added and also perhaps a sporty version. Their expectations were not disappointed: the 190 D and the sporty 190 E 2.3-16 made their debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1983. The 190 D's engine was not only highly dynamic but also the world's first with fully encapsulation for a completely new level of noise comfort. The eagerly awaited 190 E 2.3-16 certainly shook people up. It had already made its very first appearance in Italy, on the high-speed test track in Nardo, near Lecce, in southern Italy, to be precise.

The debut of the 190 E 2.3-16

When new Mercedes-Benz models make their first public appearance, their prototypes already have a hard time behind them, a tour de force to make them fit for a long automotive life with as little disturbance as possible. Yet it was rather unusual to stage the last acid test of outstanding performance in public - on a high-speed test track. The new 2.3 liter four-cylinder engine with twin overhead camshafts in the 190 E 2.3-16 was the first four-valve powerpack in a production Mercedes. Its light-alloy cylinder head, developed together with the British Cosworth company, had two camshafts, four V-shaped overhead valves per cylinder and pent-roof shape combustion chambers with a favorable geometry and spark plugs optimally located in the center. Precise mixture formation was ensured by mechanical Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel injection. The engine developed 136 kW/185 hp at 6200/min and a torque of 240 Newton meters at 4500/min, giving the car acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 235 km/h. The engine was combined with a manual five-speed transmission tuned for sporty performance. Self-leveling suspension on the rear axle was a standard feature. The bodywork was aerodynamically modified to match the car's high performance. Front and rear aprons extended further down and a small spoiler on the trunk lid generated additional downforce. The tires - wider than those of the 190 E - were covered by wheelarch flares. Thus prepared, the car entered large-scale production.