The Mercedes-Benz W201 – The Time is Now

The Mercedes-Benz 190 is often seen as being the baby, or more critically, not a proper Mercedes. That’s a very closed-minded way of looking at it. The 190, or W201 to give it its manufacturer coding, was a triumph in technology, engineering and comfort. Mercedes-Benz started developing it some eight years prior to its release and in the process, they dropped over £600,000,000 on the project. And no, that’s not a typo. Six. Hundred. Million. Oh yes, Mercedes was planning to take on the world with this car, and to an extent, it did.

Nearly two million 190s were built during its 11-year production run. That’s an impressive number, but what makes it even more impressive is the fact that the 190 was only ever available in one shape – saloon. No coupe, no estate, no hatchback, no convertible. Just saloon. And yet despite being solely based around what is arguably one of the more impractical body styles, we flocked to Mercedes-Benz dealerships to buy them. Yes, the 190 is a deeply impressive car.

An introduction to the Mercedes-Benz 190

Mercedes-Benz didn’t have a ‘small’ car back in the 1970s. In fact, the smallest available at the time was the W123, but that was a big car, a forebearer to the E Class in fact.

Mercedes-Benz looked at what other brands were doing, specifically BMW with the 3 Series and Audi with its 80 and quickly came to the realisation that it needed a slice of the action. So, in 1974 pen hit paper and the designs started coming forward. Whatever the final choice would be, it had to be compact, it had to be light, it had to be worthy of the three-pointed star on the bonnet, and it had to have driver appeal.

Even Mercedes-Benz itself described the car as being ‘massively over-engineered’ but that was no bad thing. The build quality, even by today’s standards, is staggering. The five-link rear suspension made it handle like nothing else in its class, while the ABS, airbag and seatbelt pretensioners made it a class-leader in terms of safety. It was also a handsome little car to boot, which was nice.

Real consideration was put into the range, too. The 190 represented the entry point, while the 190E models featured fuel injection from Bosch resulting in more power and better economy, various trim levels satisfied everyone in the office car park from the account manager to the head of the board, while 2.3 and 2.5 Cosworth versions gave cars like the BMW M3 a run for their money, at least in terms of handling and image – the pace was, sadly, a little off that of the BMW.

On the whole, the 190 was a great car. So great that over its 11-year production run it wasn’t subject to any significant changes other than to trim/colour options. Mercedes spent a lot of money on it, so its ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it’ attitude was entirely justified.

What are the prices like?

The beauty of the 190 is that there is something to suit almost every budget. You can get a humble, and probably slightly older model for less than a thousand pounds, and that’s with MOT. Okay, so cars at that end of the scale are going to be a little bit rough around the edges, and somewhat lacking in terms of equipment, but they are out there should you be a bit strapped for cash.

Realistically, £2-3,000 will get you a really nice example with plenty of history and mileage that doesn’t rival that of the Space Shuttle. You’ll be looking at a later model for this amount of money, too, so think along the lines of a ’90 to ’93. That means a bit more chrome and more body-coloured bits.

For £5,000 you’re going to be in the territory of the best of the best, but only in terms of the standard 190. If you have your heart set on a Cosworth version, 2.3 or 2.5, this kind of money is only going to get you a project. The Cosworths have shot up in recent years, and even £10,000 won’t get you a mint car. For that, you’re well into the £15,000 territory.  

Why should I buy one?

Simply because the 190 is all the stuff you want from a Mercedes-Benz with none of the compromises. It’s well-built, it drives brilliantly, it’s got the three-pointed prestige but it’s not too big, it’s not going to bankrupt you every time you pull up to the pump and thanks for outstanding parts availability it will never let you down. As an old Mercedes goes, the 190 is pretty much perfect.

More than all that though, you’re buying a car that was, quite literally, engineered like nothing else of the time. The 190’s build quality can make a lot of modern cars blush. It’s a tough, dependable, solid car. That means that even though it’s an appreciating classic, you don’t have to nanny it. This is a car you can drive every day should you wish, and it won’t complain in the slightest. Another bonus comes in the from of the car’s age. The ’80s technology is easy enough for the home mechanic to work on, so if you like to get on the tools, the 190 can be a satisfying and enjoyable car to own and maintain.

How long will it take to see a return?

The 190 isn’t really a car for the keen investor. The Cosworth was the model that saw the biggest spike, but that was a couple of years ago now, so the ship has sailed. We’re suggesting that the time is now for the 190 because prices are slowly on the rise. As such, you can buy a car £2,000 today that might cost you £2,500 in a year. It’s a slow, but crucially steady, rise. Not a meteoric shoot for the big numbers. This is a car to buy for you, not to buy for sheer profit. 

Don’t buy a 190 to turn a profit, buy one to enjoy and drive. But do so in the comforting knowledge that you’re never going to lose money on it. For a car you can buy and then drive every day, that’s pretty good going. Plus, there’s that wonderful feeling that comes from‎ looking down the bonnet and at a three-pointed star. You’ll feel like the elite!