This 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E was originally ordered via the Coblenz, Germany branch and was imported as a "grey market" example by F.R. Kassler on August 5, 1985. Showing just under 90k miles, this 190E is powered by a 2.0-liter four cylinder engine mated with a replacement 5-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels. Finished in Diamond Blue Metallic (355) over Blue Velour (972), this car features an era-correct body kit from tuner MTS, 15” Rial mesh wheels, upgraded bilstein suspension, power windows, air conditioning and a power operated driver seat. Recent maintenance includes a refreshing the suspension and new EHA valve. Now showing 90,350 miles, this 190E is now offered for sale by the current owner with the original tool kit, manufacturer's book and literature, Mercedes-Benz sales brochures, original MTS installation instructions, OEM hang tags, first aid kit, spare tire, a clean Carfax report and a clean Oregon title.
The exterior of this 190E is finished in Diamond Blue Metallic (355) and features an MTS body kit including sculpted front and rear bumpers, fender flares and side skirts, as well as a period correct FOHA rear spoiler fitted by the current owner. The car is believed to have been previously repainted under previous ownership. The seller notes peeling paint on the C pillars as well as scratches and paint chips on the bumpers.
This W201 wears a set of color-matched 15” Rial mesh wheels wearing Continental ExtremeContact Sport tires measuring 205/50 all around with 2019 date codes. The wheel centers are painted in a matching blue color and show only minimal signs of wear and curb rash. A suspension refresh included new Bilstein B8 shock absorbers, bump stops, top mounts and new ball joints.
The cabin is finished in Blue Velour (972) which lines the seats, door cards and arm rest with matching Blue MB Tex on the dash and door panels. Features included a power operated sliding sunroof, central locking, power adjustable driver seat, power adjustable passenger side door mirror, air conditioning, power windows, heated rear window and a Philips stereo. Some wear on the driver seat bottom is noted as well as a tear on the side bolster.
The gauge cluster features a 140-mph speedometer with a mechanical odometer which currently reads 90,350 miles, 2,500 of which were added by the current owner in the past two and a half years. Other gauges include a tachometer, fuel level, fuel economy, oil pressure, coolant temperature and an analogue clock. The seller notes that the tachometer and cruise control are currently not functional.
The 2.0-liter inline-four is factory rated at 120 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque. Under the current ownership, the automatic transmission was replaced with a 5-speed manual transmission using all OEM parts. The engine is said to have received a tune up within the past 500 miles.
Recent service under current ownership included an EHA valve replacement and full suspension refresh. This 190E is offered with the original tool kit, manufacturer's book and literature, Mercedes-Benz sales brochures, original MTS installation instructions, OEM hang tags, first aid kit, spare tire, a clean Carfax report and a clean Oregon title.
The seller has included a video showing a cold start and walk around.
In the mid 1980s, tuning culture centered around European cars was at its peak with big names such as AMG, Brabus, Gemballa and many others tuning, styling and otherwise modifying anything they could get their hands on. Given the release of the new compact offering from Mercedes-Benz, the W201 was the perfect car for body kits, suspension modifications and the like. Today, surviving examples from this era are not all too common, but this 190E with a period MTS body kit, Rial wheels and FOHA rear spoiler is a classic example of just what this era of tuning culture represented. Paired with its fresh Bilstein suspension and completed manual swap, this 190E now has both the sporty styling and driving experience to match.
Open Transit:
Enclosed Transit:
The winning bidder will receive an email with the quote and option to proceed with shipping.
Get the best of The MB Market directly in your inbox every day. Subscribe for a curated list of our top market listings and articles!
15 Comments
Hi, I also have a w201 with a 100% complete MTS body kit in perfect conditionNice battle, Swish. Enjoy it.Congrats @SwishFx! Look forward to working with you on next steps. Thanks all for the interest and bids!Congrats to buyer and seller...that was fun to watch! Awesome car. Wish I could have kept bidding along... 👍$14,750 bid placed by @SwishFx
$14,500 bid placed by @Racerrick
$14,250 bid placed by @SwishFx
$14,000 bid placed by @Racerrick
$13,750 bid placed by @SwishFx
$13,500 bid placed by @Racerrick
$13,250 bid placed by @SwishFx
$13,000 bid placed by @Racerrick
$12,750 bid placed by @SwishFx
$12,500 bid placed by @Jgriffithsci
$12,250 bid placed by @SwishFx
$12,000 bid placed by @Jgriffithsci
$11,250 bid placed by @TKU_67
$11,000 bid placed by @SwishFx
$10,750 bid placed by @Jgriffithsci
$10,500 bid placed by @TKU_67
$10,250 bid placed by @Jgriffithsci
$10,000 bid placed by @Crystalclear
$9,750 bid placed by @Jgriffithsci
$9,500 bid placed by @SwishFx
$9,250 bid placed by @Jgriffithsci
$9,000 bid placed by @SwishFx
$8,750 bid placed by @Jgriffithsci
$8,500 bid placed by @SwishFx
$8,250 bid placed by @TKU_67
$8,000 bid placed by @Crystalclear
$7,750 bid placed by @henrysa
$7,500 bid placed by @TKU_67
$7,249 bid placed by @Racerrick
$6,999 bid placed by @pablo76
$6,749 bid placed by @Myoldmetal
$6,499 bid placed by @eatmorealmonds
$6,249 bid placed by @henrysa
@Jgriffithsci Ah totally understood and sorry about the confusion on the repaint. I regret not catching that edit on the original submission. It should have stated "under previous ownership" and not "while in Europe"@castroll Thank you for the clarification. I only doubted what I read because you said you believed it was repainted in Europe. I found it unlikely for a new car to be repainted but may have been.@Jgriffithsci Per the description above, it was imported to the US in August 1985. The service booklet with the car shows a 1087 km stamp on that date, and it's my understanding that grey market cars were required to have a minimum of 1000km before importing. I purchased the car from the original owner, and they operated a independent auto shop and I was told all service was done there. There is one service record at 23, 160 miles, September 1988. It appears to have been a sluggish acceleration condition, and was corrected at the dealer. Unfortunately, there were no additional records to provide more service history from the previous owner, and thus I only have the records during my ownership.Do you know when the car entered the US? Unfortunately, the carfax gives little information on the car. Do you have any service records from prior owners? Do you know how many previous owners it has had? Thank you$5,999 bid placed by @eatmorealmonds
$5,749 bid placed by @Jgriffithsci
$5,499 bid placed by @eatmorealmonds
@Jgriffithsci 2.3 badge was added previously. I just learned this was a 2.0l car during the listing process here on the site. Original engine and the 5 speed it critical on these 4 cylinder cars in my opinion. It really wakes up the whole driving experience, and wish our market could have seen more manuals. I think the appreciation for the chassis and drivetrains would been more widely known and recognized in the community.Great looking car. Do you know if the car ever had a 2.3 or if the badge was just added?Oh, thank God you are on the left coast. I was about to try and make it rain with money I don't have. I mean the kid doesn't need that money for at least 16 years.I'm in love! She's Gorgeous!@ProdigalPetrolHead Good question and not trivial at all; AC does blow cold and holds a charge indicating no leaks. It's been converted previously to R-134a. Thanks for the bids and interest!Might be a trivial question but the A/C does blow cold and hold a charge?$5,249 bid placed by @ProdigalPetrolHead
$4,999 bid placed by @zoccierampqt
$1,900 bid placed by @ProdigalPetrolHead
What a neat car, loving the body kit and wheels! And that interior is unique. Will be following.