1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 16V Cosworth 77614 Original Miles 2 Owners From New Rare Automatic Transmission Great Running Condition

VIN #WDBDA34D3GF187107

This 1986 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 16V Cosworth is a fantastic example of one of the most sought-after eighties sports sedans Mercedes-Benz produced and along with the BMW M3 represents an era of cars that will never be seen again… The condition of this car is very original and straight. The car shows some signs of age especially in the paint and has 77614 original miles on the odometer. I am the second owner from new.

This car retains every option available on a 190 at the time including the special options available only on the 2.3 16V versions such as the front and rear seats.

BODY:

This 190E 2.3 16V wears its factory correct and original Blue-Black Metallic paint which unfortunately is not in the best condition as you can see from the photos. It is peeling in some areas and faded in some others. If you need additional photos of the paint please let me know. I'm happy to take more. The good news is that all of the body panels are ripple dent and rust free and don’t appear to have had any sort of body or accident damage.

The glass and seals are in good condition and there are no leaks evident.

The body trim including the chrome aluminum and rubber is in good condition. No trim has been replaced. There are some minor imperfections but overall all of the trim is in line with what the condition should be on a car of this age with the mileage shown. The composite body panels fender flares ground effects etc. are also in good condition with no need for replacement.

INTERIOR:

The interior is trimmed in the original black leather. The seating areas are in nice condition with no rips or tears but there is normal wear evident. The door panels are also in good condition but please pay attention to the photos in the description. The dashboard has a couple of small cracks which can be repaired and there are two spots on the seating areas one in the front and one in the back where the stitches have separated and need to be re-sewn. The seat backs also need minor repair. All of these issues can be rectified with a good interior shop at a fairly low cost. The rest of the interior is in good condition and has normal wear and tear for a car of this age and mileage. If you don’t see something in my photos you would like to see PLEASE ASK!

The wood trim is also in decent overall condition and not in need of repair unless your plan is to totally restore the car. The carpet is also original and in very presentable condition.

All of the windows power up and down and work as well as the sun roof. The trunk is in very nice condition the trunk floor covering is in excellent condition with no rips tears or missing pieces and the spare tire jack and factory tool kit are accounted for and in very nice condition.

UNDERCARRIAGE:

The underside of the car is in line with a 77000 mile Mercedes. Again it is very solid with no evidence of any accident damage but does have the normal surface rust associated with cars of this age. I couldn’t include all of the photos of the undercarriage in the ad so if you’d like to see a complete set please contact me and I will email them to you.

ENGINE and ENGINE COMPARTMENT: The powerplant in this Mercedes is the original 2.3 litre 16 valve Cosworth engine. It is completely original and as you can see from the photos well preserved. All aspects of the motor are in perfect working order and the compression ratio is exactly where it should be. And yes the car is fast.

The engine bay is completely original with all components in operational condition. Every detail of the engine compartment is “Mercedes Correct” and well preserved. There is some minor wear to certain painted surfaces due to age but overall it is very presentable.

All engine and drivetrain maintenance is up to date including the following services:

-oil and filter change

-air filter replacement

-installation of new fuel filter

-engine coolant

-installation of drive belts

-lubrication of entire chassis

-installation of new battery

TRANSMISSION:

The automatic transmission in this car is in perfect working order and functions as a 77000 mile car should. It is the original transmission to the car.

As you already know if you are a fan of these cars most of these cars were manufactured with manual transmissions. This car is one of the very few cars equipped with an automatic transmission.

TIRES WHEELS and BRAKES:

The tires are in good condition but could use replacement if the new owner plans on doing any serious driving. They and are the correct and original size for the 1986 190 16V.

The wheels are the original Mercedes-Benz wheels and are in very good condition.

The entire braking system has been gone through to ensure every part works as it should. All rotors pads and seals have been replaced and brake fluid flushed.

OVERALL DRIVING IMPRESSIONS:

This 190E 2.3 16V runs and drives as should – It’s barely broken in! The 4 cylinder powerplant runs and accelerates smoothly and very quickly and the transmission shifts as it should.

The car drives around town and on the open road. It has had all of the necessary service recently performed including oil-change tune up installation of new battery and transmission and differential service. The only area I would pay attention to if I was to drive the car would be the suspension. Everything works but it could use a complete overhaul at some point in the future i.e tie rods etc. not just because of the mileage but also because of the fact the car sat idle for periods of time over the years.

The most important part of the suspension the self-leveling air shocks at the rear are in perfect working order and are not in need of repair at this time. PLEASE NOTE:

This 190E 2.3 16V still retains all of its original or N.O.S. components! This means the engine transmission rear end etc. are original or correct to the car. All of the numbers markings etc. are correct. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN MODIFIED IN ANY WAY! It is an original and very special car that as evidenced by the low mileage has been driven very sparingly during the last 29 years…

If you are serious about purchasing this vehicle I encourage you to come take a look and drive it. I can also provide you with additional photos of any specific part you have questions about.

You or your mechanic are also welcome to put the car on a lift and perform any drivetrain inspection you wish including a compression check.

Please remember this is a 29 year old car. As you can see from the photos it’s not perfect. Things do go wrong sometimes. That’s the nature of old cars. I have attempted to describe all of the high and low points of this car. Overall it’s a great dependable car to drive every day or restore to its original glory. My plan was to paint the car repair the interior where needed work on the suspension and enjoy it. Plans change and I’d like it to find a good home.

TERMS: $500 DEPOSIT WITHIN 48 HOURS OF AUCTION CLOSE. BALANCE OF AUCTION AMOUNT MUST BE PAID BY CASH IN PERSON BANK TO BANK TRANSFER OR CERTIFIED FUNDS (WITH VERIFICATION) ONLY WITHIN 7 DAYS OF AUCTION CLOSE. SORRY NO C.O.D. AND NO PAYPAL.

The description of this vehicle is written to the best of my knowledge. However I am by no means an expert on vintage Mercedes-Benz automobiles. Please don’t hesitate to ask for more photos and if possible come and look in person before the auction ends. ALL SALES ARE FINAL! If you have any questions please contact me before the auction ends. This vehicle is being sold as is where is with no warranty expressed written or implied unless there is a warranty in effect from the factory. The seller shall not be responsible for the correct description authenticity genuineness or defects herein and makes no warranty in connection therewith. No allowance or set aside will be made on account of any incorrectness imperfection defect or damage. Any descriptions or representations are for identification purposes only and are not to be construed as a warranty of any type. It is the responsibility of the buyer to have thoroughly inspected the vehicle and to have satisfied himself or herself as to the condition and value and to bid based upon that judgment solely. The seller shall and will make every reasonable effort to disclose any known defects associated with this vehicle at the buyer's request PRIOR to the close of sale. Seller assumes no responsibility for any statements regardless of any oral statements about the vehicle.

Please remember that your bid constitutes a legally binding contract to purchase this item. If you require an inspection have it done prior to bidding. I strongly encourage all bidders to inspect the vehicle personally or enlist the services of a professional inspector prior to placing a bid. After the sale inspections are not recognized as a contingency to completing your obligation to your winning bid. If there are any questions regarding the above terms please e-mail prior to bidding.

If you have any questions please contact me. If you live close to Chicago I encourage you to come and inspect the car in person!

In an effort to protect the eBay user information and to help ensure the authenticity of correspondence between sellers and bidders eBay’s new listing format does NOT display any bidder information. Nevertheless I STRONGLY encourage bidders to contact me directly to answer questions or to verify correspondence. Seller reserves the right to not accept bids or sell the vehicle to anyone with a zero or negative eBay feedback rating.

Please do not waste my time or yours bidding on an item you do not intend to pay for. If you bid on this vehicle and win you are expected to pay and pick it up in a timely manner!

I welcome ALL international bidders and am happy to assist with making shipping arrangements. I can also arrange crating for shipment on my end for a nominal extra charge. If you are an international buyer I understand it can take some time to arrange shipping so I do not mind keeping the motorcycle for a longer period of time until pick up. Please contact me before the sale ends if possible to discuss the specifics.

Thanks for your interest!

For more on the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 16V Cosworth please read on past the photos…

In the late 1970s Mercedes competed in rallying with the big V8-powered Coupés of the R107 Series mainly the light-weight Mercedes 450 SLC 5.0. Mercedes wished to take the 190 E rallying and asked British engineering company Cosworth to develop an engine with 320 bhp (239 kW) for the rally car. This project was known as project "WAA' by Cosworth".

During this time the Audi Quattro with its all-wheel drive and turbocharger was launched making the 2.3-16v appear outclassed. With a continued desire to compete in high-profile motor sport with the 190 and also now an engine to do it with Mercedes turned to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) (German Touring Car Championship) motor sport series instead. Cars racing in this championship however had to be based on a roadgoing model. Mercedes therefore had to put into series production a 190 fitted with a detuned version of the Cosworth engine. This high-performance model was known as the 190 E 2.3-16 and debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September 1983 after its reputation had already been established. Three cars only slightly cosmetically altered had set three world records in August at the Nardo testing facility in Italy recording a combined average speed of 154.06 mph (247.94 km/h) over the 50000 km endurance test and establishing twelve international endurance records. The Mercedes 190-E Cosworth was also featured on the second episode in series fifteen of the popular car show Top Gear.

Engine:

The Cosworth engine was based on the M102 four cylinder 2.3-litre 8-valve 136 hp (101 kW) unit already fitted to the 190- and E-Class series. Cosworth developed the cylinder head "applying knowledge we've learnt from the DFV and BDA". It was made from light alloy using Coscast's unique casting process and brought with it dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder meaning 16 valves total which were developed to be the "largest that could practically be fitted into the combustion chamber".

In roadgoing trimthe 2.3 L 16-valve engine made "185 hp (138 kW) at 6200 rpm and 174 lb·ft (236 N·m) at 4500 rpm. The oversquare 95.50 x 80.25 mm bore and stroke dimensions ensuring that it revs easily up to the 7000 rpm redline". Acceleration from 0–100 km/h (62 mph) was less than eight seconds and the top speed was 230 km/h (143 mph).

US-Specification cars had a slightly reduced compression ratio (9.7:1 instead of 10.5:1) and were rated at 167 hp (125 kW) @ 5800 rpm and 162 lb·ft (220 N·m) @ 4750.

The roadgoing version of the engine was reconfigured with reduced inlet and exhaust port sizes different camshaft profiles no dry sump configuration and Bosch K-jetronic replacing the specialised Kugelfischer fuel injection. These changes helped bring power down to the required 185 bhp (138 kW) specification but still resulted in a "remarkably flexible engine with a very flat torque curve and a wide power band".

The heads for the engines were cast at Cosworth's Coscast foundry in Worcester and sent to Germany to be fitted to the rest of the engine parts of which were different from the standard 2.3 including light pressed alloy pistons and rings designed to withstand higher engine speeds whilst con-rods bearings and bearing caps were found to be strong enough as standard and left unaltered.

Specifications:

Cylinders: L4

Displacement: 2299 cm3

Power: 125 KW @ 5800 RPM

170 HP @ 5800 RPM

168 BHP @ 5800 RPM

Torque: 162 lb-ft @ 4750 RPM

220 Nm @ 4750 RPM

Fuel System: Electronic Fuel Injection

Fuel: Petrol

CO2 Emissions: 224 g/km

And here’s an article from Csaba Daradics on the 190 E 2.3 16V…

This is the tale of the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3 16 and 2.5 16 sport sedans. Developed in collaboration with Cosworth initially for the rally scene of the 1980s the flagship version of the 190E series eventually went on to dominate track-racing and ended up on the roads as well putting up a good fight against BMW's iconic M3. Even though nine times out of ten people would choose the Bimmer over the Merc the 190E Cosworth's underdog status makes it an equally appealing car. As Richard Hammond put it: "it was Cinderella but the coach never came".

But let's take it from the start. In the late '70s the V8-powered 450SLC rally car started to show the signs of aging so the Stuttgart automaker decided to replace it with a compact model. Jointly developed with Cosworth the 190E never made to rallying though as Audi took everyone by surprise with the Quattro featuring four-wheel drive and a turbocharged engine. Mercedes' management didn't want to fight an battle it couldn't win so instead they competed in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM).

Motorsport regulations stated that in order for a racecar to be homologated there had to be a road-going version. So at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show Mercedes unveiled the 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth. It couldn't have been a more better time for this as just one month earlier three Cosworth prototypes set a number of world speed records at the Nardo (Italy) oval after being driven non-stop for over 50000 km (31069 miles).

According to the plan the distance was to be covered in 8 days at an average speed of 240 km/h (149 mph). Six pilots drove in 2 and a half hour shifts and completed the task in exactly 201 hours 39 minutes and 43 seconds.

More amazing was the fact that all three cars finished without breaking down only needing routine maintenance and of course refueling.

The heart of the production 190E 2.3-16 was the four-cylinder Cosworth engine based on the 136 hp 2.3-liter stock Mercedes powertrain. It was made from a light alloy fitted with dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. The British engineers made the valves as large as they could be for the given displacement and also used a Bosch K-Jetronic injection system.

The 2.3-16 delivered 185 hp at 6200 rpm and 240 Nm (177 lb-ft) at 4500 rpm easily revving up to the 7000 rpm redline. It was pretty fast for its time reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) from standstill in 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 230 km/h (143 mph). Due to stricter emission regulations U.S.-spec models had a slightly weaker engine rated at 167 hp and 220 Nm (162 lb-ft).

The power was sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual Getrag transmission with a racing gear pattern. That meant it had a "dog-leg" first gear left and down from neutral. The steering ratio was shortened for added precision while the steering wheel itself had a smaller diameter.

With a 0.32 drag coefficient the 190E Cosworth set a new world record for the time. It was also a car that showcased many advanced engineering solutions such as an electronically controlled limited-slip differential (LSD) and self-leveling hydraulic suspension on the rear axle.

Inside leather-clad Recaro sports seats provided ample support during fast cornering alongside the aggressively shaped rear bench while the instrument panel had additional gauges – oil temperature voltmeter and stop watch.

Only two exterior colors were available the Blue-Black metallic and Smoke Silver.

In 1984 driving a 190E Cosworth Ayrton Senna a relatively unknown driver at the time won the first race held on the shortened Nürburgring signaling the birth of two very big stars.

But the 2.3-16 was just the beginning of the 190E Cosworth saga. In 1988 a new model followed the 2.5-16. It had a bigger 2.5-liter engine delivering ten more ponies for a total of 195 hp. There were also cars without catalytic converters capable of 204 hp. Two new exterior colors were offered the Almandine Red and Astral Silver. Overall the 2.5-16 wasn't a quantum leap but it did help the 190E Cosworth to keep up with its arch nemesis the E30 BMW M3.

Until 1988 the 2.3-16 was raced in different touring car championships by privately owned race teams. When Mercedes officially entered DTM a new road going version was needed for homologation. This is how the 2.5-16 Evo I limited edition came to be.

Only 502 units were built featuring the same 2.5-liter 195 hp engine with slight modifications. The powertrain had a shorter stroke and bigger bore which allowed it to rev higher. Also the rotating masses were lightened lubrication improved and cam timing altered.

The running gear received the most important upgrades being optimized for heavy track use as more and more 190E Cosworth owners were entering weekend races.

For those wanting more performance Mercedes also offered a DM18000 PowerPack developed by AMG delivering 30 extra horsepower. The upgrade included different camshafts larger throttle body and more aggressive engine management. The intake and exhaust systems were optimized as well.

The 1990 Geneva Auto Show saw the introduction of the Evo II the most capable of all 190E Cosworths.

This time the engine was considerably more powerful churning out 235 hp and 245 Nm (181 lb-ft) of torque the latter constant between 5000-6000 rpm. Tipping the scales at just 1300 kg (2866 lbs) the Evo II could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 7.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) – impressive figures back then.

The Evo II had an adjustable sports suspension with three height levels operated by a switch placed to the left of the steering wheel. Front passengers were given even more aggressive sports seats while the rear bench was configured for only two individuals.

An extensive bodykit boasting an oversized rear win and blistered wheel arches made the Evo II downright menacing and aerodynamically more efficient with a drag coefficient of only 0.29.

The Evo II had a limited run of 502 units 500 painted in black while the last two were silver. Base price was DM115260 approximately €58932 in today's currency. Granted that was a lot but hey good things are never cheap.

By Csaba Daradics