HWA’s modern-day twist on iconic Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II homologated DTM racer
I’VE always had a soft sport for the Mercedes 190E and it’s still a really cool car to see on the road today.
But the ultimate version of this iconic saloon was the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 EVO II, which was developed in 1990 as a road-going homologation DTM race car.
The EVO II made its debut at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show before Klaus Ludwig raced and just 502 road-legal examples of this super saloon were created, powered by a Cosworth-built 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine.
Now Germany based motorsport and ultra-high performance automotive brand HWA AG has presented the Concept Demonstrator of its road-going, track-ready HWA EVO super saloon.
Built from the ground up, the HWA EVO represents a reincarnation of the legendary 190E 2.5-16 EVO II and just 100 production examples will be built costing an eye-watering €714,000!
So what exactly do you get for that crazy amount of money?
HWA selects a Mercedes-Benz W201 as a donor vehicle for each EVO, and the mid-section of the steel chassis is extensively reinforced, new front and rear aluminium chassis assemblies are fitted and then a full carbon body is fitted, contributing to the car’s 1,360kg weight.
The 1990 EVO II featured a bolt-on, fibreglass composite body kit, but the HWA car takes the original car’s design to another level with aggressive, DTM-inspired arches which cover new 19-inch front and 20-inch rear six-spoke forged alloys.
At the rear the iconic spoiler has been elevated to new heights plus an extendable rear flap is added.
KEY FACTS:
HWA EVO
Cost: €714,000
Engine: 3.0-litre, twin-turbo V6
Power: Up to 500bhp
Torque: 550Nm
Top Speed: 300kph
Drivetrain: RWD
Gearbox: 6-speed
Suspension: KW dampers
Wheels: 19-inch front, 20-inch rear
The original EVO II was powered by a Cosworth-tuned 2.5-litre 16-valve in-line four-cylinder engine that produced 235bhp.
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The HWA EVO is fitted with a Mercedes 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine that produces 450bhp and 550Nm of torque that sends power to the rear wheels via a rear-mounted six-speed manual gearbox.
Customers can opt for an Affalterbach performance pack that increases power to 500bhp, enabling it to reach a top speed of 300kph.
Race-derived KW dampers are fitted and stopping power is provided by six-piston 380mm front and four-piston 360mm rear disc brakes.