Business 348
Tesla to End Cybertruck Production at Giga Texas by Mid-2027
Ecuador-delivered 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 heads to auction as a converted track car
A 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 in European specification, originally sold in Ecuador and later imported to the United States, is being offered after its owner converted it for track use with Cosworth-developed engine hardware, aero parts and a rebuilt chassis.
By Edward Beaumont · 3 min read
A 1985 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 in European specification is being offered at auction after a conversion aimed squarely at track driving. The W201-chassis car was originally delivered to Ecuador and was brought to the United States around 2002. Its current seller bought it in 2019 and has spent several years reworking it for circuit use.
The most visible change is the paint. The factory Blue-Black Metallic finish was stripped, primed and wrapped in red vinyl in 2023. The trim and bumpers were painted matte black, and the seals and most of the body panels were replaced. An aero kit adds a front air dam, side skirts, wheel-arch flares and a rear wing, giving the car an aggressive stance that reflects its intended use.
Under the bonnet sits the 2.3-litre inline-four, an engine developed with Cosworth and rated at 185 horsepower from the factory. The drivetrain pairs it with a five-speed manual gearbox, a lightweight clutch and flywheel, and a Wavetrac limited-slip differential. A non-resonator exhaust has been fitted, while the powertrain mounts have been switched back to stock. The fluids were changed in 2023.
The chassis has been reworked with an aftermarket H&R cup-kit suspension and a reinforced rear subframe. The brakes were upgraded using components taken from the 400E and 500E models. The car rides on 17-inch BBS wheels wrapped in 235/40 tyres, and a spare set of Fifteen52 wheels is included in the sale.
Inside, the car has Recaro front seats, a Sparco steering wheel, a harness bar and carbon door panels. The factory rear bench has been kept, while the air conditioning, headliner and radio have been removed. The seller notes that the rear power windows work intermittently.
The odometer reads 159,000 miles, although the seller acknowledges that the total mileage is uncertain. About 20,000 miles were accrued under the current ownership. A Carfax report shows no accident or damage entries.
Potential buyers should weigh the legal position carefully. The California title is a duplicate and carries a «Non USA» history note. California flagged the car as a Gross Polluter in 2010. It passed a California smog check in May 2025, but it has no catalytic converters, and some of the aftermarket parts may not be legal under CARB rules.
The seller operates Garagistic, a business that develops parts, which is reflected in the depth of the engineering work on the car. For collectors and track enthusiasts, the listing offers a heavily modified example of one of the more sought-after compact Mercedes models of the 1980s, with the caveats around its title, emissions status and mileage clearly on the table.
Source: bringatrailer.com
16
