This 1989 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6 was first registered in Bellevue, Washington in October 1989 and has remained in the state throughout its documented history. The current owner reports approximately eight years of ownership. Finished in Smoke Silver Metallic (702) over Cream Beige MB-Tex (175), the car is powered by a turbocharged 2.6-liter M103 inline-six paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Performance modifications include a GT3582-style turbocharger with a 0.63 A/R housing, an M104 fuel rail, MegaSquirt MS3X standalone engine management, and AEM air-fuel ratio and boost gauges. Additional upgrades include Bilstein B8 dampers, Vogtland springs, four-piston 400E front brake calipers, 17” Mercedes-Benz AMG Aero II Monoblock wheels, Euro-style headlights with LED bulbs, an AMG-style exhaust tip, and an Alpine stereo with a JBL 10” subwoofer. The odometer currently shows approximately 231k miles. The seller reports that maintenance is current and that the air conditioning, heater, power windows, sunroof, and antenna remain operational. This 190E is now offered with the MegaSquirt tuning laptop, a replacement instrument-cluster dimmer switch, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Washington title.
17” Mercedes-Benz AMG Aero II Monoblock wheels wear Affalterbach-style center caps and are fitted with Falken Ziex ZE950 A/S tires that measure approximately 205/40R17. The tires show early-2019 date codes and have reportedly traveled more than 10k miles. The front driver's side wheel shows some finish peeling across the face and around the lip, while the rear drives side has some scratches around the outer lip. Suspension modifications consist of recently installed Bilstein B8 dampers paired with Vogtland springs, while the front braking system has been upgraded with four-piston calipers sourced from a Mercedes-Benz 400E.
The aftermarket four-spoke steering wheel fronts analog instrumentation including a 140-mph speedometer, 7k-rpm tachometer, analog clock, and gauges for fuel level, coolant temperature, and oil pressure. A digital outside-temperature display is mounted below the cluster. The six-digit odometer currently indicates approximately 231k miles.
Power comes from a 2.6-liter M103 inline-six that now features a GT3582-style turbocharger with a 0.63 A/R housing, an M104 fuel rail, and MegaSquirt MS3X standalone management. The tuning laptop is included with the sale. Carfax shows regular maintenance throughout much of the car’s earlier life, including repeated oil services, A/C work, and exhaust-system repairs. A major service at 197,200 miles in May 2016 included replacement or repair of the cylinder head gasket, camshaft, valve seals, timing chain, timing gears, tensioner and guides, front-cover gasket, and valve-cover gasket. The valves were also adjusted and the cooling system was flushed. The seller performs the car’s current maintenance and reports that everything is up to date. Current operating notes include occasional exhaust contact with an aluminum shield near the passenger-side firewall during the first few minutes after startup. The electric radiator fan also requires manual activation once the engine is warm.
The Carfax report shows 17 service history records and registration history exclusively in Washington with no accident or damage reports. This 190E is now offered by the current owner with the MegaSquirt tuning laptop, replacement instrument-cluster dimmer switch, a clean Carfax report, and a clean Washington title.
The seller has provided the following videos of the car:
The W201 seems to attract two kinds of owners: the ones who preserve them exactly as Stuttgart built them, and the ones who look at that compact little chassis and immediately start planning. This 190E is firmly in the second camp. The 2.6-liter M103 gave the Baby Benz a little more spirit and a distinctly different character from the four-cylinder cars, and this one takes that idea several steps further with a GT3582-style turbo, MegaSquirt management, an M104 fuel rail, Bilstein B8s, Vogtland springs, 400E brakes, and 17” AMG Aero II Monoblocks. Interest in W201s has only grown in recent years, and genuinely pristine examples have become expensive enough that cutting one up for a project can feel almost criminal. That makes a car like this easy to understand. It already has the interesting hardware, plenty of miles, honest cosmetic wear, and enough unfinished business to give the next owner something to sink their teeth into. The substantial top-end and timing work documented in 2016 is also reassuring context for an M103 that’s now working well beyond stock duty. For the gearhead who’d rather spend weekends tuning boost, cleaning up wiring, and figuring out the next round of upgrades than worrying about adding miles to a collector car, this 190E has the right bones and plenty of room left to make it their own.
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!
0 Comments