When the one hundred ninety changed into first provided in December 1982, it failed to appearance especially progressive. Yet the Mercedes-Benz mid-length sedan, recognized withinside the corporation because the "compact elegance" and located under the E-Class, S-Class and SL-Class, have become a milestone for the destiny improvement of the Mercedes-Benz version portfolio. Its sturdy, clean traces matched its product declare as a actual Mercedes-Benz, an embodiment of progress, approximately to step out into a brand new automobile category.
With its simply described wedge form and finely chiseled light-catching contours, there has been not anything reticent approximately the brand new version collection, proudly taking its region withinside the Mercedes own circle of relatives. The guy chargeable for the sparkling linear layout changed into Bruno Sacco. The first fashions withinside the W 201 collection had been the one hundred ninety and 190E which fast have become a primary achievement and position fashions. As properly as offering the premise for next C-Class generations, the one hundred ninety sedan, recognized affectionately because the Baby Benz, additionally have become the primary shot in Mercedes-Benz's product drive.
The Mercedes-Benz compact elegance - or C-Class because it have become called from the next W 202 collection, consistent with the nomenclature brought on the time - simply aimed to duplicate the virtues of its larger family members in phrases of dealing with, passive protection and reliability. Along with its smaller length, the brand new Mercedes-Benz changed into additionally lighter and really economical.
New requirements set via way of the multi-hyperlink unbiased rear suspension
The one hundred ninety additionally had a progressive new chassis layout, advanced mainly for the brand new version, which proved a awesome achievement. The most important function changed into the multi-hyperlink unbiased rear suspension. Each of the rear wheels changed into positioned via way of 5 unbiased hyperlinks for maximum wheel manipulate, with lateral and longitudinal forces efficaciously balanced in all riding situations. This stepped forward guidance precision and ensured very properly-behaved dealing with characteristics. The new rear axle layout changed into additionally lighter and greater compact than its predecessors. The the front axle featured surprise-absorber struts positioned via way of man or woman triangular wishbones and anti-dive manipulate. This gave the W 201 notable straight-line stability, and being a distinctly flat shape it additionally left a whole lot of area below the hood.
Production of the brand new compact elegance changed into prepared as a joint operation among the 2 locations - the primary time withinside the corporation's records that such an association changed into used to this extent. One of the ordinary necessities for this cooperation at a distance of numerous hundred miles changed into the change of frame additives. For example, Bremen produced the engine hoods, ground assemblies, gasoline tanks and doors, at the same time as all different sheet steel additives got here from Sindelfingen. Along with this interchange of additives among the 2 locations, engines, transmissions, and axles had been shipped to each flowers from Untertürkheim, and the guidance tools assemblies had been sourced from Düsseldorf.
Start of manufacturing with the one hundred ninety and 190E
Mercedes-Benz began out manufacturing of the one hundred ninety and 190E fashions in 1982; the 190D and 190E 2.three-sixteen accompanied in 1983 and 1984, respectively. The first fashions, each fuel-powered, had been outfitted with 4-cylinder engines with a displacement of 1997 cubic centimeters, handing over sixty six kW and ninety kW, respectively. The devices from the M 102 own circle of relatives of engines had been primarily based totally at the engine used withinside the Mercedes-Benz 200 (W 123) brought in 1980. For the one hundred ninety, engine strength changed into trimmed returned from eighty kW to sixty six kW via way of lowering the scale of the consumption and exhaust ducts and becoming a changed camshaft and smaller valves. At ninety kW, the engine of the 190E added considerably greater strength way to fuel injection. This changed into the primary time the Mercedes-Benz engineers used the mechanical electronically-managed Bosch KE-Jetronic injection device, giving the compact 190E a pinnacle pace of as much as 195 km/h, and "Mercedes-fashion spiritedness," because the 1982 brochure placed it.
Just 12 months later, the 190D got here in conjunction with a very newly advanced 4-cylinder diesel engine with a displacement of 1997 cubic centimetres - a configuration that intrigued people. With its exemplary encapsulation, this engine organized the floor for cutting-edge diesel era in Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles. Known because the "whisper diesel," the engine emitted handiest 1/2 of the noise of similar strength flowers. The new diesel, which additionally had a first rate strength output of fifty three kW and coffee gasoline consumption, proved to be a quite a hit innovation and changed into quickly in excessive demand. A overall of 452,806 devices of the 190D had been constructed over the 10 years it remained in manufacturing.
In 1984 the brand new 190E 2.three-sixteen made its debut on the pinnacle stop of the version collection. Even in appearance, the brand new version changed into very different, with a clean profile as a compact sports activities automobile highlighted via way of functions inclusive of the wing-kind spoiler on the rear. For the engine, the corporation's engineers went returned to the W 123 collection. The 4-cylinder engine with 2299-cc displacement as used withinside the 190E 2.three-sixteen had a newly designed cylinder head with consumption and exhaust valves. These and different adjustments boosted engine strength from a hundred kW to 136 kW, with acceleration from standstill to a hundred km/h in only 7.five seconds. The automobile's pinnacle pace changed into 230 km/h.
The Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.three-sixteen were capin a position to reveal what it may do as early as in 1983 the yr of its presentation on the Frankfurt International Motor Show. Four weeks earlier than the release, 3 prototypes of the version had set numerous international long-distance facts over 25,000 kilometers, 25,000 miles, and 50,000 kilometers, with common speeds of just about 250 km/h, in Nardo, southern Italy. These outcomes had been a foretaste of the one hundred ninety's next profession as a sports activities automobile. The new Mercedes-Benz racing automobile made its debut withinside the legit starting race on the brand new Nürburgring on May 12, 1984. The road-going model of the sixteen-valve version went into manufacturing in September 1984, in metal finishes: blue black and smoke silver.
The one hundred ninety's engine with carburetor had its overall performance boosted simply years after being released into the marketplace. The derated model changed into changed with an engine with none overall performance restrictions, and the Mercedes-Benz layout engineers additionally raised the compression ratio. The simple version of the collection, internally called the one hundred ninety/1, now added seventy seven kW, an boom of eleven kW. The greater powerful exhaust silencers had been the handiest aspect that averted the engine from matching the output of its W 123 counterpart.
The refinement bundle for the one hundred ninety and 190E blanketed single-belt drive, hydraulic valve clearance repayment and hydraulic engine bearings. At the time of the marketplace release of the brand new mid-sized W 124 collection in January 1985, the specs of the compact elegance had been prolonged via way of the addition of latest wheels (diameter: 38.10 centimetres), electrically heated windshield wiper nozzles and an eccentric-sweep windshield wiper with a considerably large swept area. From September 1985, strength guidance and electrically heated outside mirrors had been outfitted as widespread on all fashions. But in addition to introducing technical upgrades to the compact elegance, the advent of the mid-collection W 124 additionally modified perceptions of the one hundred ninety. The latter had formerly been stylistically absolutely wonderful from the profile of different Mercedes-Benz fashions, however the advent of the W 124 with functions steady with the emblem profile made it pretty clean that the compact version collection had come to be the trendsetter for a brand new layout language of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz introduced new fashions to the collection in 1985, beginning with the 190D 2.five, a sedan powered via way of the 5-cylinder diesel engine from the 250 D, with a displacement of 2497 cubic centimetres and output of sixty six kW. As properly as offering the identical astonishing gasoline economic system because the 190D, the compact diesel additionally had astonishing overall performance and a pinnacle pace of 174 km/h.
Six-cylinder engines offer new qualities
The follow-as much as the 5-cylinder diesel engine got here withinside the fall of 1985 whilst Mercedes-Benz simply mounted a six-cylinder in-line engine withinside the one hundred ninety. The 190E 2.6 changed into displayed on the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September of that yr. In aggregate with a 5-pace guide transmission, the 2566-cc engine added 122 kW and increased the automobile from standstill to a hundred km/h in only eight.2 seconds. The pinnacle pace changed into 215 km/h. Visitors to the motor display had been inspired via way of the layout competencies hired to in shape a huge six-cylinder engine into the restricted area to be had below the hood of the one hundred ninety. The Mercedes-Benz engineers had provide you with a masterpiece of made-to-degree automobile packaging. The outside warning signs of the better strength of the 190E 2.6 had been dual exhaust pipes and the deeper and greater steeply angled the front apron with wider louvers. Just some weeks after the 190E 2.6 had made its debut, the 500,000th one hundred ninety rolled off the meeting line. The new version with fuel injection engine had now no longer but contributed to this milestone. Production of the 190E 2.6 began out in April 1986, and the brand new version changed into in the end released into the marketplace in October 1986, collectively with the 190E 2.three. The most important distinction among this variation of the W 201 and the export model of the identical call changed into the 4-cylinder engine with regular compression ratio and a strength output of a hundred kW.
From that time, all fuel-engined fashions had been to be had with the choice of a closed-loop emission manipulate device with a 3-manner catalytic converter, besides for the one hundred ninety with carburetor. As an opportunity option, Mercedes-Benz additionally presented vehicles which had been organized for retrofitting, with a multi-practical combination guidance and ignition device, however with out catalytic converter or lambda sensor. Older vehicles may also effortlessly be retrofitted with the closed-loop catalytic converter. These options gave car proprietors the ability to determine whilst to replace to a closed-loop emission manipulate device. From September 1986, the carburetor version changed into additionally to be had with an emission manipulate device, and the closed-loop catalytic converter have become widespread device on all fuel-engined Mercedes-Benz passenger automobile fashions. Cars organized for retrofitting had been nonetheless to be had on request till August 1989, at a decrease rate than the equal model with catalytic converter.
A sprightly diesel makes its debut
In 1987, the compact elegance persisted on its path closer to diesel vehicles with sporty overall performance. In September of that yr, Mercedes-Benz provided the 190D 2.five Turbo on the Frankfurt International Motor Show. The engine changed into a ninety-kW 5-cylinder turbodiesel compression-ignition unit, derived from the established evidently aspirated engine. The exhaust-fueloline turbocharger boosted strength via way of 24 kW, ensuing in a pinnacle pace of 192 km/h and acceleration from standstill to a hundred km/h in 11.five seconds. The visible trademark of the brand new version, exported to the united states from as early as fall 1986, changed into the six louvers withinside the the front proper fender, among path indicator and wheel cut-out. These had been now no longer a ornamental function with martial connotations, however had been important in imparting the turbocharger with the quantity of air it required. Another distinction among the turbodiesel and its sister version with evidently aspirated engine changed into the dual-pipe rear silencer.
The the front and rear spoilers reached in addition down and had been blended with large bumpers, with new aid factors and changed effect absorbers designed for elevated electricity absorption. The new the front apron were followed from the 190E 2.6 and changed into now used on all fashions to lessen the elevate on the the front axle. The reason of latest spoiler on the rear changed into to optimize the airflow outflow. The refinement bundle additionally blanketed the nearside outside reflect as a part of the usual device. The new indoors layout made the one hundred ninety greater spacious and greater snug for each motive force and occupants, with greater knee and head room withinside the rear and stepped forward seats at each the front and rear.
Simultaneously with the refinement, Mercedes-Benz additionally brought its new pinnacle-of-variety version for the compact elegance: the 190E 2.five-sixteen, changing the primary sixteen-valve engine with a 2.three-liter unit after 4 years. The engine changed into simply primarily based totally on its predecessor, profiting from an extended stroke. The new engine, with catalytic converter, advanced 143 kW - 18 kW greater than its predecessor. Even with the catalytic converter, the overall performance of the brand new version matched the 190E 2.three-sixteen with out emission manipulate device. The new sixteen-valve version changed into additionally diagnosed as a descendant of the Nardo file automobile via way of its visible appearance. Two new paint finishes had been now to be had, complementing the blue black and smoke silver finishes via way of the addition of the metal finishes almandine crimson and astral silver.
The 190E 2.five-sixteen as a racing automobile
The Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.five-sixteen additionally have become the premise for the sports activities vehicles entered in Group A of the German Touring Car Championship (DTM). The kind-accepted base version changed into the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.five-sixteen Evolution with the M 102 E 25/2 engine, in addition changed for racing. The subsequent improvement level got here 12 months later with the 190E 2.five-sixteen Evolution II version. In its manufacturing model, this automobile, once more provided for the primary time on the Geneva Motor Show, added 173 kW, with overall performance boosted nonetheless in addition.
From February 1989, withinside the context of the "Diesel '89" initiative, Mercedes-Benz began out becoming all its diesel-engined passenger automobile fashions with transformed engines with particulate emissions decreased via way of forty percentage via optimization of the combustion cycle. The optimized diesel fashions had been definitely smoke-unfastened and met the stringent particulate emissions limits withinside the U.S.A. even with out a particulate trap. This changed into made feasible via way of newly designed prechamber combustion with indirect gasoline injection for greater green combustion. The injection pumps in all evidently aspirated diesel engines now additionally had an altitude correction unit (vacuum cell) to preserve emissions down even if riding at excessive altitudes. A favorable aspect impact of the brand new diesel era changed into a strength boom of kW withinside the 190D and 3 kW withinside the 190D 2.five. From as early as September 1988, vehicles with turbocharged diesel engines had been outfitted with similar era - which intended that the output of the 190D 2.five Turbo changed into boosted to ninety three kW.
A state-of-the-art emission manipulate device brought in 1990 in addition decreased pollutant emission levels. To reap this, Mercedes-Benz opted for an oxidation catalyst specifically advanced for diesel engines and blended with an exhaust fueloline recirculation device. This quite green device changed into to be had as elective device from October 1990, first of all for vehicles with evidently aspirated diesel engines, then six months later for turbocharged fashions as properly.
The Sportline bundle, a brand new device variation for the one hundred ninety, got here onto the marketplace in June 1989. The bundle changed into to be had for all fashions and featured a suspension decreased via way of 21 mm, tauter springs and surprise absorbers, 7J x 15 alloy wheels with extensive tires in 205/fifty five R 15 format, and seating as withinside the sixteen-valve version. This did now no longer practice to the 190E 2.five-sixteen which already boasted sporty device in its widespread model.
The generation of fuel engines with carburetors at Mercedes-Benz led to 1990. In the case of the W 201 version collection, this intended that the 190E 1.eight version changed the one hundred ninety that were in manufacturing for over seven years. The new engine had a displacement of 1797 cubic centimeters and added eighty kW with catalytic converter. It were derived from the 2-liter engine withinside the 190E via way of lowering the stroke, and used the identical mechanically/electronically managed Bosch KE-Jetronic injection device.
Final refinement
The one hundred ninety changed into delicate for the ultimate time in 1991. Among different things, all fashions now featured the ABS anti-lock braking device, besides for the 190D and 190E 1.eight entry-degree fashions. The 190E changed into now referred to as the 190E 2.0, and changed into 3 kW greater effective, way to a decrease-resistance exhaust device.
Mercedes-Benz provided any other 3 unique fashions of the W 201 in 1992, the ultimate complete yr of manufacturing of the collection. These AVANTGARDE variations of the 190E 1.eight, 190E 2.three and 190D 2.five had been usually designed to have a greater younger appearance, along with pearl coat finishes in sturdy colors. In all, 4,six hundred devices had been constructed of those unique fashions.
Production of the one hundred ninety led to Sindelfingen in February 1993 and in Bremen in August that identical yr. A overall of 1,879,629 motors were synthetic. This underlines the achievement of the compact elegance, and the understanding of the selection to increase the product variety of the Mercedes-Benz emblem into decrease segments of the marketplace.
