This 1990 Mercedes Benz 190E Evolution II is a stunning example of the marque and shows just 38,102 km (23,675 miles) at the time of cataloging. Car number 390 of just 502 examples produced, this car is finished in the same Blue-Black Metallic (blauschwarz) as the first 500 cars, while the final two were painted Astral Silver. The Evo II is immediately identifiable thanks to its outrageous aero-package, which features a large adjustable rear wing, uniquely designed fender arch extensions, and 17-inch 6-spoke alloy wheels. In wind tunnel testing, these wild modifications reduced drag dramatically and increased downforce, and helped keep the 190E a competitive race car on the track. For a homologation race car, the interior is remarkably well appointed, with four Recaro-designed seats, that feature leather outers with black and white crosshatch cloth centers. Additionally, features like air conditioning, heated font seats and a sunroof have all been fitted, making this race car for the road, an extremely pleasant place to spend time. When you get behind the large 4-spoke steering wheel, the gauge cluster is remarkably similar to a normal 190E, but one glance at the tachometer with its 7,700 rpm redline, lets you know that this is not in fact, a normal 190 Mercedes. Although Mercedes Benz was building a 190E 2.5-16 which was being sold in showrooms in larger numbers, it would be a mistake to think that it had the same powerplant as the Evo II. Yes, both cars had 2.5-liter inline 4s with dual overhead cams and 16 valves, but the Evo II, was powered by a unique “short stroke” variant of the engine. Also fitted with the “AMG Power Pack” this engine produced 232 horsepower at 7,200 rpm and 181 lb-ft of torque at 5,000 rpm. This was a jump of nearly 30 horsepower and gave the driver an extra 700 rpm to work with at the top end. Power was then routed through a 5-speed manual gearbox with a dog-leg 1st gear, to the rear wheels. A self leveling suspnension allowed the car to be raised and lowered at the push of a button, and was the only 190E with this technology. The looks of the Evo II are quite extreme but it is renowned for having remarkably docile road manners. It loves to be thrown around when things get twisty, but is not overly harsh or demanding in daily use. When production of the 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II ended in July of 1990, it marked the end of the high-performance homologation race cars for the W201 chassis. That being said, the car continued to race successfully in the 1992 sesason, winning both the manufacturers’ and drivers’ championships at the hands of Klaus Ludwig. Without a doubt, this remains one of the most exciting looking cars to ever come out of Mercedes, and will go down as one of the best driving as well.