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Deleted member 1071
Eagerly sought are the end-of-the-model-run 190E 2.3/2.6 "Sportline" cars:
W201 Modern classics: the Mercedes-Benz W 201 series (1982 – 1993)
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The Mercedes-Benz W201 is the internal designation for the Mercedes 190 series sedans, a range of front-engine, rear drive, five passenger, four-door sedans manufactured over a single generation, from 1982 to 1993 as the company's first compact class automobile. Designed by Bruno Sacco, it was succeeded by the Mercedes-Benz W202 (the first generation C-Class). Production: September 1982 – May 1993.
Our market was closed and only the very wealthy who could afford to use all sorts of loop holes to bring a real Mercedes into the country. The mere mortals, however, who couldn't afford the costs of importing the real Mercedes 190E had to turn the humble Chevrolet Monza into a replica of a Mercedes 190E.
The 190E was quick its day, when launched in Dec 1982 with a low powered 122PS engine it could achieve a top speed of 197kmh and 0-100kmh in 10.2sec( as tested by Auto Motor und Sport) which was almost the same performance as the much more powerful 185PS W123 280E at the time. This was due to the low 1180kg weight (300kg less than the 280E) and lower drag of 0.33 (versus 0.45 of the 280E).
It's just a Brazilian replica of an 190E based on a Chevrolet Monza (Opel Ascona C) built for people who couldn't afford a real Mercedes-Benz 190E.
The real 190E vs the fake one side by side.
When the ban on imports was lifted on 9th of May of 1990, Mercedes officially brought the real 190E to Brazil and Quatro Rodas magazine was the first one to test it in October of the same year.
The manual equipped 190E 2.3 accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 7,8 seconds and did the 1/4 mile in about 15,7 seconds at 142 km/h. One of the fastest cars on sale in Brazil at the time.
However, while a Brazilian could finally walk into a Mercedes dealer and buy a real 190E instead of a fake one, he would have to be an extremely rich Brazilian to do that, because the price was still out of reach for most Brazilians.
The 2.3-16 was a very expensive and rare car in South Africa as well when it debuted in 1985, at the time I remember it was nearly the price of a locally produced W126 500SE due to the high import taxes of 160% for this model.
CAR South Africa tested it in their Jan 1986 issue and the car achieved almost identical figures to your Brazilian car magazine tested of 7.90sec to 100kmh, 1km of 28.8sec and a top speed of 226km/h which was slightly less than Mercedes claims of 7.5sec and 230km/h.
This model is very sought after and this is the car that forced BMW to bring out the E30 M3 later in 1986/87.
CAR South Africa tested it in their Jan 1986 issue and the car achieved almost identical figures to your Brazilian car magazine tested of 7.90sec to 100kmh, 1km of 28.8sec and a top speed of 226km/h which was slightly less than Mercedes claims of 7.5sec and 230km/h.
This model is very sought after and this is the car that forced BMW to bring out the E30 M3 later in 1986/87.
@Rolf and @dalab
I should explain that from 1976 to 1990, only foreign diplomats could import a brand new imported car into Brazil.
The only way a Brazilian could buy an imported car was buying an used one that once belonged to an ambassador, for example, but that would still be more expensive than buying a brand new car made in Brazil.
In May of 1990 the ban was lifted, the market was open, BMW and Mercedes were the first to arrive and Brazilians were allowed to buy imported cars. But we were shocked how expensive the imports were. So while we were allowed, not many of us could afford to buy one. The 190E 2.3 arrived in the country with a price tag of 12 million cruzeiros, which are equivalent in 2020 to 660,905 Brazilian reais or about 126,123 U.S dollars (Almost 2.3 Rand). Six times more than what the most expensive Brazilian car costed at the time.
I should explain that from 1976 to 1990, only foreign diplomats could import a brand new imported car into Brazil.
The only way a Brazilian could buy an imported car was buying an used one that once belonged to an ambassador, for example, but that would still be more expensive than buying a brand new car made in Brazil.
In May of 1990 the ban was lifted, the market was open, BMW and Mercedes were the first to arrive and Brazilians were allowed to buy imported cars. But we were shocked how expensive the imports were. So while we were allowed, not many of us could afford to buy one. The 190E 2.3 arrived in the country with a price tag of 12 million cruzeiros, which are equivalent in 2020 to 660,905 Brazilian reais or about 126,123 U.S dollars (Almost 2.3 Rand). Six times more than what the most expensive Brazilian car costed at the time.
Yes, of course, I remember well the "wonderful" time when Santana and Monza reigned, because there was nothing else, in Uruguay we enjoyed instead a total opening
, in Peru that prohibition also existed and when they finally opened it was the paradise, it was for some kind of political protectionism I guess
bmwz4coupe
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Merc1
Premium
I thought I knew every version of the 190E, but to my surprise there was a 190E 3.2 AMG model:
50 Years Of AMG: Driving The Mercedes 190E 3.2 AMG
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50 Years Of AMG: Driving The Mercedes 190E 3.2 AMG
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Mick Briesgau
Tire Trailblazer
Interesting that in those days the sporty versions did have more wood in their interior, than the base versions. Nowadays it’s the opposite. Wood is not considered sporty anymore. Perhaps it was the combination of sports and luxury that was to be emphasized.
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