the history of Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II n.º 473 (out of a total of 502) had, curiously, Portugal as a backdrop for most of its existence, although it is now for sale in the USA.
From 1993 to (believed) 2015 it was owned by the Portuguese António de Jesus Sousa, from Vila Nova de Gaia, and has accumulated around 8000 km there, having been carefully maintained in a garage with controlled climate control.
António de Jesus Sousa may not have been the first owner of the 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II, but he was the one who has had it the longest, according to information provided by SpeedArt Motorsports, which is selling it.
The homologation special was originally purchased by Heinz Eichler in 1990, passionate about the star brand and its ambassador, and a favorite customer of Karl Santelmann, the owner of the Mercedes Autohaus Santelmann GmbH dealership, who secured the reservation of one of the limited. units to be produced.
Unit No. 473, ordered with the “Komfortpaket” (Comfort package), would be delivered to Eichler in July 1990.
In the three years he had it, Heinz Eichler would enjoy this very special machine for 10,000 kilometers, but he ended up selling it in 1993 to, as mentioned, António de Jesus Sousa.
Practically 23 years later, in 2015, the 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II would reappear in the public eye at the Techno Classica, in Essen, an event dedicated to the classics, through Auto Leitner, a Dutch classic car dealer.
During the event, the homologation special — at the time, already a cult car — captured the interest of a Greek executive who also owns one of the most notable Mercedes-Benz collections in Europe. Deal done and the car would be transported to Greece, having been delivered to the northern suburbs of Athens during the summer of 2016. At the time, the odometer read 17 993 km.
In the four years he was in Greece, the 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II covered just 143 km, having been maintained by the Athenian specialist in models from the star brand, Teotech.
From Athens to Miami
In December 2019, aware of the existence of this exemplary care, the owner of Speedart Motorsports traveled to Athens and, despite the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II No. 473 not having been publicly announced for sale, it managed to close deal with its owner.
New owner, new destination. Speedart Motorsports would take the Evo II to the United States of America, more precisely to Miami, where it is currently located, having arrived on March 2, 2020. Since then it has not covered more than 112 km, for maintenance purposes, recording a total of 18 248 km.
The immaculate state of the homologation special and its exclusive character help to justify the asking price of US$475,000, around 405 thousand euros.
Evo II
The 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II was the ultimate… evolution of the model, exuberant in appearance and mechanics to surpass its rival, the BMW M3 (E30) in the German touring championship, the DTM.
The aerodynamic props that set it apart — huge adjustable rear wing, adjustable front splitter and rear spoiler — weren't just for show. They effectively contributed to better “gluing” the car to the road, as they helped to reduce aerodynamic drag (Cx of 0.29).
Under the hood was an in-line four-cylinder block with 2.5 l capacity, which passed through the “magic hands” of Cosworth. It had a maximum power of 235 hp at 7200 rpm and 245 Nm at 5000 rpm, a force that was transferred to the rear axle only and only with a five-speed manual gearbox.
The 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II may have “shocked” typically more conservative Mercedes-Benz customers, but given its limited nature and exorbitant price tag — the equivalent of around €70,000 in 1990 — it made an instant classic, justifying the prices asked for a copy nowadays.