Check Out This Chunky, Track-Worthy Mercedes Benz 190E: Hit or Miss?

Last updated: August 28, 2024 8:11 am

3 Min Read

Image Credit: X.com/@stiquez

I recently saw a picture of a firey, track-worthy Mercedes-Benz 190E on X.com by @stiquez. It brought tears to my eyes—the local automotive industry is growing, and car lovers of this gracious nation are stepping up to the world with wild builds previously only available on the international scene. I couldn’t be more proud of my people.

According to the OP, the car belongs to @calvins on the same platform. I’m not a Merc aficionado, but from the look of things, this bad boy was once a 190E, particularly the W201, a popular model in the country throughout the 90s thanks to its impeccable durability and body-build quality.

The OP was curious about his followers’ opinions on the build and posed an important question: ” Thoughts on @calvins baby benz wide-body conversion? Hit or Miss?”

Opinions were varied in the comment section. One commenter quickly said, “Far from hit, upon closer inspection. Miss.” @Vonpula responded, “Sweet. Especially the rear fenders and side skirt. Front lip, not so much.”

I’ll give the build top marks for being brave. We’ve all seen the widebody builds in the country. Forgive me for being callous, but the local ‘fiber gang’ ranks at the top for projects that leave you with more questions than answers.

There’s nothing subtle about this particular build, and the owner is not looking to be original, taking an aggressive theme for the late 80s classic Bavarian beauty.

It’s clear as day that the build’s posterior end has been thickened, aftermarket wheels slapped below, and, of course – its sporty frontal splitter to finish this race-inspired build. Simply put, the owner was going for a DTM-inspired treatment popular on the 2.5-liter 190E Evolution II (a high-performance version of 190E).

We don’t know what lies underneath. The OP doesn’t say anything about it, but we believe there’s some spice to go with whatever aesthetic upgrades run on the exterior.

I’m hoping @calvins slapped something modern under the hood – it’s not unheard of in the country. If anything, there’s a classic Bimmer turning heads running a potent 2JZ, and as a result, I don’t see anything wrong with an in-line six AMG 3.2-liter treatment on this red chunky bad body.

But that’s just wishful thinking—we’d love to see how the interior looks (race seats, roll cage) and what handling upgrades he’s put in (coilovers, brake upgrades, LSDs) to make this late 80s baby look so track-worthy.