・Family-owned for 27 years

・Full-service history and bill of sale

・Original condition

・Low mileage

Mercedes, which had previously been recognised for their luxury and grand-touring automobiles, eventually launched a compact family car in 1983, thanks to some astute product planning. The car entered the market with confidence, offering the public an upwardly mobile car for mid-ranking executives who want to travel in comfort, with no sacrifice to the brand's reputation for prestige and robust engineering.  During the cars 10-year production run, the visual aspect of the design remained remarkably unchanged but it gained numerous mechanical updates, along with a series of new 1.8-litre ‘Einspritzung’ (Fuel-Injected) engines for the last years of production.

As one of the last W201 190E models registered in the UK, this single family owned example was registered in June 1993 and remained with them for an astonishing 27 years. With just 48K on the clock, this two-tone malachite green car with the optional 8 spoke alloys has a full-service history, a stack of original paperwork and is in exceptionally good condition, with an interior that is close to faultless.

This 1.8-litre 190E was purchased new in 1993 by the original owner at Cumbria Mercedes for £17,300 who ordered the car with £6,500 of options, including alloy wheels, driver's airbag, ABS, emissions controls, and an electric sunroof. The car's owner certainly considered it as a long-term investment, but even he may not have realised how long it would stay in such good shape. The very survival of this car and low mileage can be attributed to his fastidious ownership and the likelihood of it being garaged during his ownership. Sadly the owner passed away in 2008 after accumulating just 47,000 miles in the car. The car was transferred over to his wife, who didn’t use the car much, adding less than 1000 miles until the car was SORNed in 2010. The car was handed over to the son in 2020 after a mechanical spruce-up following ten years of storage, but he quickly realised it wasn't best suited for his needs and contacted the present owner, a collector and former Mercedes employee. The son was understandably emotional when the car was loaded onto a trailer for its journey down south, according to the current owner, indicating how much the car meant to him and his family. To put it another way, the ideal car for a buyer. 

The paperwork that comes with the car is exactly what you'd expect from a car owned by a single-family.  All the three V5’s documents the changes of ownership within the family and it comes complete with its handbook wallet, three keys, original build sheet, original sales invoice and confirmation letter of order, as well as a full-service history, receipts for a new exhaust, suspension and brake work and a £1000 bill for a recent mechanical overhaul. It appears to have not needed any significant work in terms of mechanical failure and comes with an MOT to August 2022. In addition, the car retains its original Mercedes cleaning and fluids kit and the original dealer plates.

With a car that has a near-perfect history under the ownership of one family, any potential buyer of this car can be assured that the interior is in very good shape indeed. All of the interior plastics and fabrics are clean and blemish-free and only show the slightest suggestion of wear. The cloth seats are well sprung with no suggestion of damage, perhaps only the slightest hint of discoloration on the driver's seats for us not to offer a complement of full marks for the interior. The carpets are in excellent condition, with no wear, and come complete with a set of Mercedes mats. There are no suggestions of any water ingress or damp patches. The boot follows the same script and looks almost unused and is completely dry.

The dashboard is similarly unmarked, with the facia materials and centre console looking good with no wear noted on the dials, controls and switches. It comes fitted with its original dealer option Blaupunkt Verona tape player, with everything including the sunroof and all four electric windows in working order.  The door cards are well-fitted and are in good shape. The headlining, steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake are in excellent condition. The car also has a couple of additional extras including a front centre armrest and rear head restraints.

The current keeper was rather keen to retain the originality of the car, so the handful of minor blemishes have not been covered or touched up, allowing the new owner to make that call. The extent of the issues really does not go beyond a handful of minor paint scabs, most notably around the electric aerial and the occasional under-paint issue on some of the panels. The is a little bubbling noted under the rear window seal, which is currently a cosmetic blemish but would be worth keeping an eye on. 

Structurally the car is in decent shape, the jacking points, boot and floor pans in solid condition, the inner wings and engine bay are decent with the chassis rails and suspension tops showing a little surface rust in small patches but certainly not of a structural woe. The doors open and close with a reassuring resistance due to the excellent state of the door rubbers which helps to retain that Mercedes feeling of teutonic solidity. 

Body-wise, there is nothing to report other than an excellent body finish, with even panel gaps and a factory-fresh fit. The car is free from any significant dents, with no evidence of poor repair work noted. The malachite green paint suits the robust lines of the 190E well and adds a little extra class to the design. It has resisted the Cumbrian climes well, with no significant issues in terms of paint coverage or gloss. The lustre is still retained throughout the paint and it reflects the light well with no suggestions of paint swirls, having been subject to a recent professional body valet. No major stone chips were observed with the front of the car and there are no signs of door chip damage. The trim is in very good condition, with the lower plastic door section in good shape and fit. The front bumper has the lightest of scuffs but both sets are otherwise in superb shape and hang well on the car. The glass, lights and lens are all crack-free, with no suggestions of lamination or fade damage. 

The alloys do show a level of surface corrosion with the current keeper at great pains on whether he should have restored them. However, the renovation of the alloys will not necessitate a substantial amount of effort and will be a relatively simple task in the hands of a specialist. They are free from any other additional road scuffs or curb damage. The Goodyear tyres all show an above legal amount of tread, but the oldest items are around 20 years old and show a small level of wear. If you choose to regularly use the car, it might be a wise option to replace the tyres for peace of mind, despite them not being flagged up for an advisory for the MOT.

Mechanically, for a car that has seen regular servicing and upkeep, the engine presentation and function is as good as you can expect for an almost 30-year-old Mercedes with under 50K on the clock. The car starts up instantly, with no whines or unwanted noises from the engine. There was no knocking coming from any of the drivetrain when the car was on tick over and idling nicely, at around 700-800rpm with no lumpiness. The engine reaches temperature with no drama, as the engine warmed up no additional rattles or hissing came from the engine. No excess exhaust smoke or fluid leaks were observed on the day. The auto gearbox changes up and down smoothly, no rattles or slippage noted.

It's not unexpected that this 190E has remained so clean and original for so long, but given the brand's famed construction quality and materials, as well as their sturdy mechanics, there are a surprising amount of good late model 190E's out there. The difference is that this car, with its impressive provenance and beautiful presentation, is a perfect opportunity to obtain a genuine modern classic without the issues that could break your heart. Admittedly, the 190E may not ignite souls in the same way that a vintage Mercedes does, but it will appeal to your sensibilities and give you the assurance that you can rely on this well-crafted machine. 

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