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(from Mercedes-Benz
Press Release) Model history: The Mercedes-Benz W 201 series
(1982 - 1993)
-- A Mercedes-Benz
below the long-established mid-range series
-- Brilliant engineering achievement: No compromises in safety,
ride comfort and space
-- Multi-link independent rear suspension setting new standards
in chassis technology
When the 190 was first
presented in December 1982, it didn’t look particularly
revolutionary. Yet the Mercedes-Benz mid-size sedan, known within
the company as the “compact class” and positioned below the E-Class,
S-Class and SL-Class, became a milestone for the future development
of the Mercedes-Benz model portfolio. Its strong, clear lines
matched its product claim as a genuine Mercedes-Benz, an embodiment
of progress, about to step out into a new car category.
With its clearly defined
wedge shape and finely chiseled light-catching contours, there was
nothing reticent about the new model series, proudly taking its
place in the Mercedes family. The man responsible for the fresh
linear design was Bruno Sacco. The first models in the W 201 series
were the 190 and 190 E which quickly became a major success and role
models. As well as providing the basis for subsequent C-Class
generations, the 190 sedan, known affectionately as the Baby Benz,
also became the first shot in Mercedes-Benz’s product drive.
The Mercedes-Benz
compact class – or C-Class as it became known as from the subsequent
W 202 series, according to the nomenclature introduced at the time –
clearly aimed to replicate the virtues of its bigger relations in
terms of handling, passive safety and reliability. Along with its
smaller size, the new Mercedes-Benz was also lighter and very
economical.
To reduce fuel
consumption, the Mercedes engineers optimized the aerodynamics of
the body and also used high-strength sheet steel and other
innovative materials to reduce the weight of the car. As a result,
the 190 weighed just 1180 kilograms, without any reductions in
passive safety. One of the features providing passive safety
commensurate with the S-Class sedans was the forked-member structure
of the front end. This design, taken from the S-Class from the 126
series, ensured that the 190 also met the requirement for an
asymmetrical frontal collision at 55 km/h with 40 percent overlap.
New standards set by the
multi-link independent rear suspension
The 190 also had a
revolutionary new chassis design, developed specifically for the new
model, which proved a great success. The main feature was the
multi-link independent rear suspension. Each of the rear wheels was
located by five independent links for optimum wheel control, with
lateral and longitudinal forces effectively balanced in all driving
situations. This improved steering precision and ensured very
well-behaved handling characteristics. The new rear axle design was
also lighter and more compact than its predecessors. The front axle
featured shock-absorber struts located by individual triangular
wishbones and anti-dive control. This gave the W 201 excellent
straight-line stability, and being a relatively flat structure it
also left a lot of space under the hood.
These chassis
innovations delivered their benefits only once the car was on the
road, but there were some other surprises in store for Mercedes
drivers used to the S-Class and mid-series as soon as they entered
the car. Instead of having a foot-operated parking brake, as used in
all Mercedes passenger models made in Stuttgart from 1968, the W 201
model series had a conventional parking brake, operated by means of
a lever between the front seats. The engineers saw this as a way of
saving space in the foot well, and in any event, little effort was
required for applying the parking brake in the compact class car
because of the latter’s lighter weight.
The 190 was built in
Sindelfingen and Bremen. Production began in Sindelfingen, with the
assembly line in the Bremen factory starting up later, in November
1983. The plant had had to be modernized for production of the
Mercedes-Benz compact class in a long and expensive process. The
mid-series station wagon (S 123) had been manufactured in Bremen
from early 1978.
Production of the new
compact class was organized as a joint operation between the two
locations – the first time in the company’s history that such an
arrangement was used to this extent. One of the routine requirements
for this cooperation at a distance of several hundred miles was the
exchange of body components. For example, Bremen produced the engine
hoods, floor assemblies, fuel tanks and doors, while all other sheet
metal components came from Sindelfingen. Along with this interchange
of components between the two locations, engines, transmissions, and
axles were shipped to both plants from Untertürkheim, and the
steering gear assemblies were sourced from Düsseldorf.
Start of production with the 190
and 190 E
Mercedes-Benz started
production of the 190 and 190 E models in 1982; the 190 D and 190 E
2.3-16 followed in 1983 and 1984, respectively. The first two
models, both gasoline-powered, were fitted with four-cylinder
engines with a displacement of 1997 cubic centimeters, delivering 66
kW and 90 kW, respectively. The units from the M 102 family of
engines were based on the engine used in the Mercedes-Benz 200 (W
123) introduced in 1980. For the 190, engine power was trimmed back
from 80 kW to 66 kW by reducing the size of the intake and exhaust
ducts and fitting a modified camshaft and smaller valves. At 90 kW,
the engine of the 190 E delivered significantly more power thanks to
gasoline injection. This was the first time the Mercedes-Benz
engineers used the mechanical electronically-controlled Bosch
KE-Jetronic injection system, giving the compact 190 E a top speed
of up to 195 km/h, and “Mercedes-style spiritedness,” as the 1982
brochure put it.
Just one year later, the
190 D came along with a completely newly developed four-cylinder
diesel engine with a displacement of 1997 cubic centimetres – a
configuration that intrigued people. With its exemplary
encapsulation, this engine prepared the ground for state-of-the-art
diesel technology in Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Known as the
“whisper diesel,” the engine emitted only half the noise of
comparable power plants. The new diesel, which also had a
respectable power output of 53 kW and low fuel consumption, proved
to be a highly successful innovation and was soon in high demand. A
total of 452,806 units of the 190 D were built over the ten years it
remained in production.
In 1984 the new 190 E
2.3-16 made its debut at the top end of the model series. Even in
appearance, the new model was very different, with a clear profile
as a compact sports car highlighted by features such as the
wing-type spoiler at the rear. For the engine, the company’s
engineers went back to the W 123 series. The four-cylinder engine
with 2299-cc displacement as used in the 190 E 2.3-16 had a newly
designed cylinder head with two intake and two exhaust valves. These
and other modifications boosted engine power from 100 kW to 136 kW,
with acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h in just 7.5 seconds.
The car’s top speed was 230 km/h.
World long-distance records in
Nardo
The 190 E 2.3-16 had
been able to show what it could do as early as in 1983 the year of
its presentation at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. Four
weeks before the launch, three prototypes of the model had set
several world long-distance records over 25,000 kilometers, 25,000
miles, and 50,000 kilometers, with average speeds of almost 250
km/h, in Nardo, southern Italy. These results were a foretaste of
the 190’s subsequent career as a sports car. The new Mercedes-Benz
racing car made its debut in the official opening race on the new
Nürburgring on May 12, 1984. The road-going version of the 16-valve
model went into production in September 1984, in two metallic
finishes: blue black and smoke silver.
Two more compact class
models came in 1983 for export to North America only. These US
versions were the diesel-engined 190 D 2.2 and gasoline-engined 190
E 2.3. For the diesel version, the displacement volume was increased
to 2197 cubic centimetres by lengthening the stroke. This
compensated for the loss in power resulting from the fitting of an
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. This feature was essential
for a car exported to the US, particularly in view of the stringent
emission limits in California. The modified diesel engine delivered
54 kW, practically the same as in the standard version.
The closed-loop emission control
system initially made the gasoline-engined
190 E 2.3 significantly
less powerful than the 230 E (W 123). The rating of 83 kW instead of
100 kW put the larger-displacement export version even below the
standard 190 E. This problem was solved in 1984 with a modified
intake manifold, a redesigned camshaft and a newly tuned injection
system. The 190 E 2.3 now delivered 90 kW, on a par with the
two-liter model.
The 190’s engine with
carburetor had its performance boosted just two years after being
launched into the market. The derated version was replaced with an
engine without any performance restrictions, and the Mercedes-Benz
design engineers also raised the compression ratio. The basic model
of the series, internally known as the 190/1, now delivered 77 kW,
an increase of 11 kW. The more effective exhaust silencers were the
only thing that prevented the engine from matching the output of its
W 123 counterpart.
The refinement package
for the 190 and 190 E included single-belt drive, hydraulic valve
clearance compensation and hydraulic engine bearings. At the time of
the market launch of the new mid-sized W 124 series in January 1985,
the specifications of the compact class were extended by the
addition of new wheels (diameter: 38.10 centimetres), electrically
heated windshield wiper nozzles and an eccentric-sweep windshield
wiper with a significantly larger swept area. From September 1985,
power steering and electrically heated exterior mirrors were fitted
as standard on all models. But as well as introducing technical
improvements to the compact class, the arrival of the mid-series W
124 also changed perceptions of the 190. The latter had previously
been stylistically completely distinct from the profile of other
Mercedes-Benz models, but the introduction of the W 124 with
features consistent with the brand profile made it quite clear that
the compact model series had become the trendsetter for a new design
language of Mercedes-Benz cars.
Mercedes-Benz added two
new models to the series in 1985, starting with the 190 D 2.5, a
sedan powered by the five-cylinder diesel engine from the 250 D,
with a displacement of 2497 cubic centimetres and output of 66 kW.
As well as providing the same impressive fuel economy as the 190 D,
the compact diesel also had impressive performance and a top speed
of 174 km/h.
Six-cylinder engines provide new
qualities
The follow-up to the
five-cylinder diesel engine came in the fall of 1985 when
Mercedes-Benz actually installed a six-cylinder in-line engine in
the 190. The 190 E 2.6 was displayed at the Frankfurt International
Motor Show in September of that year. In combination with a
five-speed manual transmission, the 2566-cc engine delivered 122 kW
and accelerated the car from standstill to 100 km/h in just 8.2
seconds. The top speed was 215 km/h. Visitors to the motor show were
impressed by the design skills employed to fit a large six-cylinder
engine into the limited space available under the hood of the 190.
The Mercedes-Benz engineers had come up with a masterpiece of
made-to-measure automotive packaging. The external indications of
the higher power of the 190 E 2.6 were twin exhaust pipes and the
deeper and more steeply angled front apron with wider louvers. Just
a few weeks after the 190 E 2.6 had made its debut, the 500,000th
190 rolled off the assembly line. The new model with gasoline
injection engine had not yet contributed to this milestone.
Production of the 190 E 2.6 started in April 1986, and the new model
was finally launched into the market in October 1986, together with
the 190 E 2.3. The main difference between this variant of the W 201
and the export version of the same name was the four-cylinder engine
with normal compression ratio and a power output of 100 kW.
From that time, all
gasoline-engined models were available with the option of a
closed-loop emission control system with a three-way catalytic
converter, except for the 190 with carburetor. As an alternative
option, Mercedes-Benz also offered cars which were prepared for
retrofitting, with a multi-functional mixture preparation and
ignition system, but without catalytic converter or lambda sensor.
Older cars could also easily be retrofitted with the closed-loop
catalytic converter. These alternatives gave vehicle owners the
flexibility to decide when to switch to a closed-loop emission
control system. From September 1986, the carburetor model was also
available with an emission control system, and the closed-loop
catalytic converter became standard equipment on all gasoline-engined
Mercedes-Benz passenger car models. Cars prepared for retrofitting
were still available on request until August 1989, at a lower price
than the equivalent version with catalytic converter.
A sprightly diesel makes its debut
In 1987, the compact
class continued on its course towards diesel cars with sporty
performance. In September of that year, Mercedes-Benz presented the
190 D 2.5 Turbo at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. The
engine was a 90-kW five-cylinder turbodiesel compression-ignition
unit, derived from the proven naturally aspirated engine. The
exhaust-gas turbocharger boosted power by 24 kW, resulting in a top
speed of 192 km/h and acceleration from standstill to 100 km/h in
11.5 seconds. The visual trademark of the new model, exported to the
USA from as early as fall 1986, was the six louvers in the front
right fender, between direction indicator and wheel cut-out. These
were not a decorative feature with martial connotations, but were
vital in supplying the turbocharger with the amount of air it
required. Another difference between the turbodiesel and its sister
model with naturally aspirated engine was the twin-pipe rear
silencer.
The one-millionth W 201
rolled off the assembly line in Bremenin March 1988. By now, the
compact class had established itself as Mercedes-Benz’s third major
model series. The company also fundamentally revised the 190 in
1988. The refined compact class was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show
in September 1988, six years after the presentation of the first
190. The main focus was on the restyling of the body and the
new-look interior. The most striking feature of the refined models
was the protective side strips with integrated side skirt paneling,
similar to those in the coupes from the 124 model series.
The front and rear
spoilers reached further down and were combined with larger bumpers,
with new support elements and modified impact absorbers designed for
increased energy absorption. The new front apron had been adopted
from the 190 E 2.6 and was now used on all models to reduce the lift
at the front axle. The purpose of new spoiler at the rear was to
optimize the airflow outflow. The refinement package also included
the nearside exterior mirror as part of the standard equipment. The
new interior design made the 190 more spacious and more comfortable
for both driver and occupants, with more knee and head room in the
rear and improved seats at both front and rear.
Simultaneously with the
refinement, Mercedes-Benz also introduced its new top-of-range model
for the compact class: the 190 E 2.5-16, replacing the first
16-valve engine with a 2.3-liter unit after four years. The engine
was actually based on its predecessor, benefiting from a longer
stroke. The new engine, with catalytic converter, developed 143 kW –
18 kW more than its predecessor. Even with the catalytic converter,
the performance of the new model matched the 190 E 2.3-16 without
emission control system. The new 16-valve model was also identified
as a descendant of the Nardo record car by its visual appearance.
Two new paint finishes were now available, complementing the blue
black and smoke silver finishes by the addition of the metallic
finishes almandine red and astral silver.
The 190 E 2.5-16 as a racing car
The 190 E 2.5-16 also
became the basis for the sports cars entered in Group A of the
German Touring Car Championship (DTM). The type-approved base model
was the Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution with the M 102 E 25/2
engine, further modified for racing. The next development stage came
one year later with the 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II model. In its
production version, this car, again presented for the first time at
the Geneva Motor Show, delivered 173 kW, with performance boosted
still further.
From February 1989, in
the context of the “Diesel ‘89” initiative, Mercedes-Benz started
fitting all its diesel-engined passenger car models with reworked
engines with particulate emissions reduced by 40 percent through
optimization of the combustion cycle. The optimized diesel models
were virtually smoke-free and met the stringent particulate
emissions limits in the U.S.A. even without a particulate trap. This
was made possible by newly designed prechamber combustion with
oblique fuel injection for more efficient combustion. The injection
pumps in all naturally aspirated diesel engines now also had an
altitude correction unit (vacuum cell) to keep emissions down even
when driving at high altitudes. A favorable side effect of the new
diesel technology was a power increase of two kW in the 190 D and
three kW in the 190 D 2.5. From as early as September 1988, cars
with turbocharged diesel engines were fitted with comparable
technology – which meant that the output of the 190 D 2.5 Turbo was
boosted to 93 kW.
A sophisticated emission
control system introduced in 1990 further reduced pollutant emission
levels. To achieve this, Mercedes-Benz opted for an oxidation
catalyst specially developed for diesel engines and combined with an
exhaust gas recirculation system. This highly efficient system was
available as optional equipment from October 1990, initially for
cars with naturally aspirated diesel engines, then six months later
for turbocharged models as well.
The Sportline package, a
new equipment variant for the 190, came onto the market in June
1989. The package was available for all models and featured a
suspension lowered by 21 mm, tauter springs and shock absorbers, 7J
x 15 alloy wheels with wide tires in 205/55 R 15 format, and seating
as in the 16-valve model. This did not apply to the 190 E 2.5-16
which already boasted sporty equipment in its standard version.
The era of gasoline
engines with carburetors at Mercedes-Benz ended in 1990. In the case
of the W 201 model series, this meant that the 190 E 1.8 model
replaced the 190 that had been in production for over seven years.
The new engine had a displacement of 1797 cubic centimeters and
delivered 80 kW with catalytic converter. It had been derived from
the two-liter engine in the 190 E by reducing the stroke, and used
the same mechanically/electronically controlled Bosch KE-Jetronic
injection system.
Final refinement
The 190 was refined for
the last time in 1991. Among other things, all models now featured
the ABS anti-lock braking system, except for the 190 D and 190 E 1.8
entry-level models. The 190 E was now called the 190 E 2.0, and was
three kW more powerful, thanks to a lower-resistance exhaust system.
Mercedes-Benz presented another three special models of the W 201 in
1992, the last full year of production of the series. These
AVANTGARDE versions of the 190 E 1.8, 190 E 2.3 and 190 D 2.5 were
primarily designed to have a more youthful look, including pearl
coat finishes in strong colors. In all, 4,600 units were built of
these special models.
Production of the 190
ended in Sindelfingen in February 1993 and in Bremen in August that
same year. A total of 1,879,629 vehicles had been manufactured. This
underlines the success of the compact class, and the wisdom of the
decision to extend the product range of the Mercedes-Benz brand into
lower segments of the market.
The W 201 series in the press
Frankfurter Allgemeine
Sonntagszeitung, November 19, 2006: “The compact class was the first
herald of what the future had in store.”
Bruno Sacco, head of
Design at Mercedes-Benz from 1975 to 1999, said this about the W 201
in 2000: “The Mercedes 190 was specifically designed to be
provocative. We wanted to attract new customers, so we had to get
their attention – for example, with a rear-end design that was
highly unusual at that time, and with very distinctive contours.
When I look at this car today, I still find it very attractive.”
auto, motor und sport,
July 14, 1982, on the W 201: “With all its sports performance
features, the 190 is still an outstandingly comfortable sedan.”
auto, motor und sport,
December 1, 1982, on the new W 201: “The 190 comes with features
which have been highly unusual in this class to date: the anti-lock
braking system, for example, or the driver airbag and the automatic
belt tensioner for the front passenger.”
auto, motor und sport,
December 1, 1982, on the multi-link independent rear suspension of
the W 201: “This is truly a rear axle unlike anything the world has
ever seen.”
auto, motor und sport,
December 15, 1982, on the multi-link independent rear suspension of
the W 201: “A veritable dream of an axle.”
Auto Zeitung, December
20, 1982, on the debut of the W 201: “Everyone’s talking about the
new small Mercedes, the 190/190 E.”
Neue Zürcher Zeitung,
December 22, 1982, on the W 201: “A refreshingly and
unconventionally styled modern car that can be expected to attract
new, and particular young buyers.”
auto, motor und sport,
January 12, 1983, on the public reaction to the W 201: “No other car
is so much at the center of attention, no other car has generated
anything like the curiosity as this new development from the world’s
oldest motor manufacturer."
auto, motor und sport,
January 12, 1983, on the design of the W 201: “The W 201 body
surrounds the driver like a well tailored suit, proving that you can
be comfortable even in a relatively small space.”
auto, motor und sport, March 23, 1983, on the 190 D: “The diesel
engine is encapsulated, which means less exterior noise emissions
and lower noise levels inside the car.”
Auto Zeitung, October
21, 1983, on the 190 D: “This car continues a diesel tradition going
back 47 years, providing ample scope for the development of future
generations of compression-ignition engines.”
, November 1983, on the
190 2.3: “We think the Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3 is an outstanding
four-door sedan – perhaps the best in the world in its size class.”
Road & Track, November
1983, on the design of the W 201: “The styling of the 190 is
head-turning.”
