When you think of hot Mercedes you usually come up with stuff like E55s and SL600s- maybe even the classic Silver Arrows or today's F1 and SportsCar racers. The Mercedes 190E, though - the car most frequently decked out with full sheepskin seat covers - is certainly not in this category...
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It's true; the 190E of the mid-80s was never much of a performer. With an 85kW 2.0-litre SOHC four-cylinder purring under the bonnet, it was a quiet and smooth vehicle - but with 12.3-second 0-100 km/h (for the auto) it was never an adrenalin machine.
A short while after the introduction of the 190, however, AMG-Cosworth released an enthusiast's version packing - amongst other things - a 2.3-litre, DOHC, 16 valve four. Ahh, this 16-valver loved to rev and it made good top-end power - about 156kW - but it was never a grunty, torquey motor.
Michael Fielding felt the same way about this particular beastie; it was a sweet engine but it was never brutally quick. And, having put a few kilometres behind it, the engine was starting to show signs of wear. An engine rebuild was on the cards, but - because Michael was keen on a bit of circuit action - he wanted more than your average 'freshen up'.
Michael ended up at Sydney's Bavariacars where - after going for a ride in one of their turbocharged BMWs - he was well and truly hooked on the turbo approach to power and torque. The deal was done. Herbert (the main man at Bavariacars) stripped the Cossie 2.3-litre mill down and reassembled it using all the bits needed for a strong and effective turbo conversion - Mahle forged pistons (giving a static compression ratio of around 8.0:1), O-ringed head, copper head gasket and revised camshafts.
Onto the side of that rare and expensive DOHC head was bolted a custom tubular exhaust manifold leading into a Mitsubishi T3-T4-sized turbo with an internal wastegate. Exhaust is 3-inch in diameter with a single resonator and muffler on the way to the oval chrome tip. The intake to the turbo comprises a large K&N pod filter mounted on the end of large diameter elbow. A front cold-air scoop feeds air to the filter area, which is shielded from underbonnet heat by the factory - though modified - shield.
With boost pressure set to a maximum 19 psi, a large front-mount air-to-air intercooler chills the charge and 2?-inch mandrel plumbing sends it toward the engine. An electronic blow-off valve is plumbed in along the way.
Interestingly - at a time when humble ET Pulsars and Cordia GSRs were running EFI - the Cosworth 190 ran with the ol' Bosch K-Jetronic mechanical injection system. Herbert felt nothing holding him back when he ripped the entire system out and time-warped forward a few decades to fit a programmable MicroTech MT8 system. This is set up working with its internal MAP sensor, Bosch single coil ignition, the standard Bosch K-Jetronic fuel pump and a set of large Bosch injectors hung off a custom rail.
And how much power does this turbocharged Cossie Mercedes generate? How 'bout an HSV-elbowing 209kW at the back wheels running only 17 psi (measured on a Dyno Dynamics chassis dyno)? Driving through a Sachs clutch, heavy-duty pressure plate, 5-speed close-ratio 'box and a 2.97:1 LSD it's claimed good for 0 - 100 sprints in the low 5-second bracket.
Just a b-i-t quicker than your average 190...
As mentioned, Michael was keen to get out there and run riot on his local racetrack, so the aging suspension copped a major upgrade. The MacPherson strut front and multi-link IRS now run Bilstein dampers, Eibach lowered springs and stiffer bushes. The rim and tyre combo looks classy cruising 'round Sydney and serves well on the track - 18-inch BBSs clad in Yokohama Advan Nexus 235/40s and Yokohama Grand Prix M5 265/35s. Ever heard of 265s on a Merc 190 before?!
Brakes remain standard except for a pair of forward-facing cooling ducts that flow air to the front discs.
Speaking of forward-facing ducts, you may notice the front spoiler is unlike any other you've seen. Michael's a creative sort of person and has had a custom lower section - similar to the Merc C43 racecars - fibreglassed to the original top section of bar. Looks sharp, eh? Running down the side there are the standard skirts, but - ah-ha - that rear spoiler looks strangely familiar. Michael's removed the Cosworth 190's original 'Evo 2' wing and fitted a custom M3-style job. This sucker was no quick Sunday-arvo slap together - a mould had to be taken from an original M3 wing, and it was then extensively cut-and-shut. Thanks to Danny's Mobile Fibreglass for that effort.
The end result - we're sure you'll agree - is brilliant.
We should now point out that this particular Cosworth 190 is not you everyday example. As far as Michael can tell, this is the only genuine wide-body Cosworth in Australia; it was originally purchased by an AMG franchisee for the tidy sum of $200,000... And that was back in 1985, remember! In addition to those flared rear guards and flared fibreglass front fenders - which fatten the overall width by 2? - 3-inches - we're told the car also arrived boasting a little more power than other 190 Cosworths - about another 7kW. Not that this matters now...
That 1985 $200,000 also bought a hell of an interior package.
This car came packed with leather splashed absolutely everywhere except for the floor carpet; oh, and there's rare Silver Birdseye maple trimmings as well.
Everything you see here is standard - the Momo wheel and knob, the electric heated Recaros and the full sports dash. Michael's only additions are the sports drilled pedals and a boost gauge neatly nestled into the factory clock position.
This integrated, stealth approach pretty much sums up Michael's theme with his 190. It's not too wild, it's practical, comfortable and reliable - and it can run right up there with E55s and SL600s.
Nope - this 190 doesn't fit in with the sheepskin seat cover crowd...
Contact:
Bavariacars
+61 2 9879 7557
This car is for sale -
mfsheetmetal@pacific.net.au for more details.
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