The Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth. It’s a name that rolls off the tongue and resonates with automotive enthusiasts in the know. This homologation special from the roaring eighties stands tall among a decade brimming with iconic performance cars. Yet, it often finds itself playing second fiddle in the collective memory, overshadowed by its Bavarian rival, the BMW M3. While the E30 M3 might boast more aggressive styling, whispers among those who’ve experienced both suggest the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190e might just hold a performance edge. It’s a compelling notion – that these Cosworth-engineered 16-valve engines were the very benchmark BMW aimed to surpass when crafting their legendary M3. This Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E isn’t just another classic; it’s a unique piece of automotive history that simply can’t be replicated.
It’s a curious twist of fate that the BMW M3 reigns supreme in popular perception. Consider this: during the same era, Audi also clinched two championships, while Ford and Mercedes-Benz each secured one. Dominance in racing was far from absolute. Could it be the subtly understated aesthetics of the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E, lacking the wide, boxy flares of the M3, that relegated it to the shadows? Or perhaps BMW’s earlier DTM championship win played a role? Regardless of the reasons, many enthusiasts are quietly content that the 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth has remained somewhat of a hidden gem. This relative anonymity translates to a significant advantage for savvy collectors: you can often find exceptional examples of the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E for roughly half the price of a comparable M3.
Enter Jason Cammisa, renowned automotive journalist, YouTube personality, and self-proclaimed German car aficionado. He happens to be the proud owner of what many consider to be one of the most pristine Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E 2.3-16 models in existence. His 1985 Smoke Silver European specification car is a purist’s dream. It boasts the unrestricted 185 horsepower engine, manual windows, and the iconic plaid Recaro bucket seats both front and rear. This remarkable vehicle was sourced directly from Germany, with only one previous owner, and remains in showroom condition. It is, to put it mildly, an exceptional machine. Cammisa graciously sat down to share his expert insights on why, in his opinion, his Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E surpasses almost everything else on the road.
Patrick Stevenson: Jason, with your extensive driving experience across a vast spectrum of vehicles, what drew you to seek out this particular Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E?
Jason Cammisa: I actually daily-drove a standard W201 for years and always harbored a desire for the 16-valve version. My search for the “right car” spanned about 15 years – I was specifically looking for a European specification model with the high-compression engine, lightweight features, finished in Smoke Silver, and equipped with plaid cloth upholstery, just as Bruno Sacco originally envisioned. In the interim, I owned a U.S. specification car in Blauschwarz with remarkably low mileage (38,000 miles), which I sold in 2007 in anticipation of a move across the country.
Then, in September 2011, I was on the phone with a close friend, another Mercedes-Benz enthusiast, lamenting that I was considering purchasing a less-than-perfect U.S. 2.3-16 to satisfy my W201 craving. He talked me out of it, knowing my somewhat obsessive nature wouldn’t allow me to be content with a “beater” Benz. I resigned myself to waiting, saying, “Well, I suppose the right one will find me eventually.” To which he replied, “Oh, it just did. Check your email.” He had just sent me a link to an advertisement for this very car on the German website Mobile.de.
The following week, I made a stop in Germany en route to the press launch of the F10 BMW M5. I test drove the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E (the odometer clicked over to 78,000 kilometers, or 48,469 miles, during the drive), had it inspected on a lift, meticulously reviewed its service history, and ultimately decided to purchase it. While I was there, I took the opportunity to do some journalistic work with the car, enjoyed some unrestricted Autobahn driving – including about an hour at its top speed of 143 mph – and then arranged to have it shipped back home. Since then, I’ve spent countless hours – a hundred or two, easily – thoroughly cleaning and detailing it, and have been enjoying it immensely ever since.
PS: That sounds like the ideal way to acquire a new car – a paid trip to Germany, complete with Autobahn testing! Finding a sub-50,000-mile car of this vintage is indeed rare. What’s the backstory on this particular Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E?
JC: It was originally purchased new by a woman named Klara in a small town called Floethütte, about an hour and fifteen minutes from Cologne. She took delivery on her 36th birthday (remarkably, I bought it on my 36th birthday as well!). I purchased it from a broker, but the car was still registered in her name. So, I tracked down her phone number and called her. I asked her why she had spent such a considerable sum of money (DM 58,866.40) on a relatively small car with no air conditioning or power windows when she could have opted for a base S-Class for significantly less (around DM 40,650!). Her response was immediate and without hesitation: “Weil der so süß aussah!” – “Because it looked so cute!” [Laughs]
When I inquired about the complete original documentation – including the dealer price list, transport receipt from the factory to the dealership, original license plate receipt, break-in instructions, and so on – but the absence of dealer service receipts, she explained, “Because it never went to the dealer.” She owned a service station, and her staff handled routine oil changes, but the car never required any other work. No repairs meant no repair receipts, I suppose!
PS: So, the cliché of buying a car from a little old lady who only drove it to church on Sundays actually holds true sometimes – especially if she’s German and finds it “cute.” It sounds like you found an exceptional car, although the acquisition process was a bit more involved than a typical domestic Craigslist find. But what makes the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E so special to you personally?
JC: The W201 chassis Mercedes Benz 190E fundamentally changed the automotive landscape. It was the first truly premium subcompact car. If it were still in production today, it would be the smallest sedan offered for sale in America. Despite its compact size, it possesses a substantial presence and drives with the composure of a 4,500-pound full-size luxury car. And the history of the 2.3-16 model is truly remarkable, almost unbelievable: initially conceived to dominate the World Rally Championship, those plans were derailed when Audi disrupted Mercedes-Benz’s ambitions with the Quattro’s all-wheel-drive advantage.
Undeterred, Mercedes engineers cleverly rebranded it as a “sport model,” secretly developing it specifically for the then-nascent German DTM racing series. Its subsequent success directly spurred BMW to create the M3 three years later, igniting the horsepower race that continues to this day. Think about it – if you appreciate cars like the M3, C63 AMG, ATS-V, Giulia Quadrifoglio, IS-F, or RS4, you can trace their lineage back to the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E. It’s the original performance compact sedan that started it all.
PS: Performance and racing heritage are undeniably exciting aspects, but what are your thoughts on the styling and design of the 2.3-16? I know you also own an E30 Touring, so how does the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E compare from an aesthetic and functional perspective?
JC: I personally consider the W201 Mercedes Benz 190E to be the most exquisitely proportioned and thoughtfully designed small sedan ever created. Robert Cumberford, the notoriously discerning automotive critic from Automobile Magazine, agreed with me, adding only the qualifier “post-war.” My appreciation goes beyond mere surface-level aesthetics, though. I genuinely love every facet of this car, from the four supportive Recaro bucket seats to the engaging dogleg five-speed manual transmission, the sophisticated five-link rear hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension, and the absolutely remarkable build quality.
Speaking of build quality, consider this: the car features standard floor mats, followed by inch-thick removable carpeting secured with snaps. Beneath that lies a Swiss-cheese-patterned plastic false floor, meticulously concealing all the wiring and hoses – fuel lines, brake lines, etc. – within beautifully crafted conduits. Only below that is the asphalt-coated steel floor pan itself. This level of engineering and attention to detail is a major reason why the 190E is as quiet and refined as an S-Class. And don’t mistake this robustness for excessive weight; my Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E actually weighs 17 pounds less than my E30, tipping the scales at 2,845 pounds with a full 18.6 gallons of fuel in its massive homologation-sized fuel tank.
PS: You make it sound truly exceptional. The engineering and development that Mercedes-Benz invested in the chassis of the 190E is genuinely remarkable. If you had to pinpoint one feature of the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E as your absolute favorite, what would it be?
JC: Without a doubt, it’s that glorious engine. The BMW S14B23 engine in the M3 receives a lot of accolades, but in my opinion, it simply doesn’t compare to the M102.983 in terms of sound, smoothness, or power delivery. This is a big-bore, short-stroke engine (95.5 x 80.25 mm!) with a high 10.5:1 compression ratio, a true screamer that produces its peak 185 horsepower in a remarkably flat plateau from 5,500 rpm all the way to its 7,100 rpm fuel cut-off. And I’m talking about a horsepower plateau, not torque! I’ve never seen a dyno plot quite like this car’s, and I doubt you have either.
Modern small four-cylinder engines often require balance shafts and active engine mounts to minimize vibrations and noise. Thanks to its inherently robust architecture, this “big ol’ four” needs neither and is nearly as smooth as a six-cylinder engine. The exhaust note is intentionally subdued (after all, who wants to prominently hear a four-cylinder?), but there’s seemingly nothing obstructing the hauntingly beautiful Cosworth induction noise. In racing trim, these engines were capable of revving to 10,000 rpm. My only minor complaint about the street version is that the 7,100 rpm rev limit cuts the fun a bit short.
PS: When you’re pushing the engine to its limits, how does the chassis respond?
JC: I used to call my previous standard W201 “Irene.” Her personality, as I imagined it, was that of a demure, gray-haired librarian named Irene, someone who spent her days surrounded by books, peering through small, wire-framed reading glasses. She was a churchgoer, dressed in unassuming, frumpy clothing. But what nobody suspected was that Irene was secretly incredibly wild and capable. Looking at Irene, or Klara (this Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E), or any 190E 2.3-16 for that matter, you’d never initially guess at the performance potential lurking beneath the surface.
There are a few inherent “Mercedes-isms” you need to adapt to when driving the 2.3-16 aggressively. The gear shifter, while precise, doesn’t appreciate being rushed, especially when the car is experiencing high lateral G-forces in corners. The Recaro seats, despite their prominent side bolsters, don’t hold you quite as snugly as their appearance might suggest. And the car exhibits more body roll than you might expect – picture a Jenny Craig convention – so you need to consciously slow down your hand movements when initiating turn-in.
However, cornering grip is undeniably modern and impressive. But here’s the truly remarkable aspect: the handling balance is exceptional. The 2.3-16 is so inherently neutral at its limit that you might suspect some form of electronic trickery is at play. A subtle hint of mid-corner understeer smoothly transitions into controllable power oversteer, modulated with incredible precision by the accelerator pedal in minute increments. Whatever slip angle you desire, the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E delivers it with ease and predictability. And it all unfolds in slow motion, with the body roll and tire sidewall flex gently smoothing out any abruptness in its movements. In terms of cornering balance and overall stability at the limit, an E30 M3 simply can’t match the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E. Then again, Mercedes-Benz reportedly invested nearly as much engineering effort into developing the W201’s sophisticated multi-link rear suspension as BMW spent on the entire E30 platform.
PS: It is truly remarkable how meticulously Mercedes-Benz designed and built cars even in that era. Their chassis were engineered to last for a decade or more before a replacement model was even considered. So, considering its racing pedigree and the fact that the Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E arguably paved the way for the E30 M3, does it truly live up to its DTM legend status?
JC: No, it absolutely crucifies it.
PS: Jason, thank you so much for generously sharing your magnificent Mercedes Benz Cosworth 190E 2.3-16 with us.
JC: My pleasure! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to enthusiastically discuss all things Mercedes 190E.
