Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II
The 190E Evolution II was Mercedes' wildest DTM homologation special: 502 road cars with a towering adjustable wing legitimized the AMG racers that won the 1992 DTM title in touring car racing's fiercest era.
History
Mercedes entered the DTM arms race with the Cosworth-headed 190E 2.3-16, but the Evolution program of 1989–90 turned escalation into art. The Evo II of March 1990 brought a short-stroke 2.5 screamer and a radical aero package developed with aerodynamicist Richard Eppler — the adjustable towering rear wing, vented arches and deep front apron cut lift so dramatically that BMW's motorsport chief famously scoffed the wing 'must have been approved in a wind tunnel-free zone'... before BMW copied the concept.
In race trim the AMG-run cars produced around 375 hp at 9,500 rpm, and Klaus Ludwig took the 1992 DTM title — the 190E's crowning season against factory BMW M3s and Audi V8s, with 16 wins across the year for the model. The partnership formalized Mercedes' takeover of AMG and set the works-DTM template the marque follows to this day.
All 502 road Evo IIs (500 in blue-black metallic, two silver prototypes) sold instantly in 1990 despite costing twice a base 190E; they are now blue-chip youngtimer collectibles trading in the high hundreds of thousands. Period DTM race chassis are documented through AMG records, live mostly in collections and Mercedes-Benz Classic's fleet, and appear at DTM Classic demonstrations where their 9,500 rpm shriek steals every show.
Palmarès
DTM drivers' champion 1992 (Klaus Ludwig, AMG-Mercedes) with the model taking 16 wins that season; race wins across 1990–93 against M3 and Audi V8 opposition; and the 2.3-16/2.5-16 family's broader record including Nürburgring 24h class results and the model's role founding the Mercedes-AMG works dynasty.
What to check before you buy
Three distinct markets: genuine period DTM race cars (AMG/works-documented, seven figures, rarely traded), the 502 road Evo IIs (collector market — verify build number, original engine, unmodified aero), and later race replicas for historic grids. On road cars, originality is everything: correct SLS suspension electronics, uncracked original body kit (unobtainable new) and documented mileage set the tiers. On anything claiming race history, AMG's period records and entry lists decide — the real cars are all known to marque historians.
Did you know
- BMW's Karl Heinz Kalbfell mocked the Evo II's wing publicly — Mercedes engineers had the last word when the aero worked and the car won the title.
- All 500 customer Evo IIs wore the same blue-black paint; Mercedes considered colour choice an unnecessary complication, exactly as Peugeot had with the 205 T16.
- The race engines' 9,500+ rpm ceiling came from a short-stroke crank AMG developed so quickly that early units used hand-finished road blocks.
In the marketplace now
View all →No exact Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II listed right now — here is closely related machinery on the market.
Parts, spares & upgrades
Browse parts →
24 Mercedes S580 4Matic Engine Motor 10k Miles. 90 Day Warranty M176 4.0L V8 223
14-16 OEM Mercedes X166 GL63 AMG AWD 5.5L V8 M157 Engine Motor Long Block
24 Mercedes S580 4Matic Engine Motor 10k Miles.
