It’s the spoiler you notice first, a towering sign that this is no ordinary classic Mercedes-Benz 190E. Stutttgart made just 502 in period, each equipped with a rear wing that you could just about see from space, and designed for one reason and one reason only: to help the Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II win every time in Germany’s prestige DTM racing series.
In its first racing season, this ultimate track iteration of the Mercedes-Benz 190E just about met its brief: winning 16 out of 24 races and humbling both BMW and Audi. The 502 road-going versions were produced just to meet the rules, and remain among the most sought-after homologation specials ever made. But perhaps you’d like a brand new one? The racers at HWA are here to help and theirs is the car you see here.
The HWA Evo, as it’s being called, will be way more than a homage to the Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II. HWA are reinterpreting the original design, adding "state-of-the-art technology in terms of powertrain, performance, chassis, brakes, aerodynamics and safety”, or as company founder Hans Werner Aufrecht puts it: “We wanted to do motorsports and make the best car in the world even better.” Given HWA’s pedigree - they’ve won multiple DTM championships, Aufrecht co-founded AMG who had a hand in the Evo II - this is serious talk.
Basis will be a basic Mercedes-Benz 190E, but there the resemblance will end, with a new powerplant, still to be announced, installed. Hand-built production will be limited to just 100 examples, making it even rarer than the original car and almost certainly significantly faster. Like an HWA Evo for your garage? £615,000 puts you on the waiting list, delivery 2025. Given HWA’s stellar track record, we’re certain it’ll be worth the wait.
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