Overall rating:

Created to homologate the racing version used in the German Touring Car Championship (DTM), the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II is now an iconic piece of the firm's history. Produced in limited numbers the body-kitted saloon may not be as fast as the modern AMG models, but it's equally as wild looking and just as much fun to drive.

Key Facts

Model tested: 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II
Pricing: £40,000 (worth £50,000 to £65,000 in 2012)
Engine: 2.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: five-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Body style: four-door saloon
Rivals: Audi RS2, BMW M3, Ford Sierra Cosworth
Top speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 7.1 seconds
Power: 235hp at 7,200rpm
Torque: 245Nm at 5,000rpm to 6,000rpm
Number made: 500

In the Metal:

If Batman had driven a Mercedes-Benz, this would have been it. It might be subtle and simple 190E underneath, a car that is a paragon of typical Mercedes understatement, but that DTM body kit absolutely transforms it. The flared arches, deep chin spoiler and extended sills are nothing compared to the massive adjustable boot spoiler though. Sure, it couldn't look any more eighties if it tried, but it's all the better for it - on the basis of exterior styling alone we want it, now.

Which is good, as the interior isn't quite so special. It's all rather utilitarian in there, coming from a time where soft-touch plastics weren't even a twinkle in the interior designers' eyes, and though the switchgear is as solid as reminiscing Mercedes enthusiasts would have you believe, it is rather dull. The steering wheel is simply massive, too big for such a car, and the wooden trim on the transmission tunnel looks a little out of place. However, ignore all that for a second and drink in the nostalgic half-leather seats, heavily bolstered both front and rear, along with the extra instruments placed low on the centre console. And though the rear view is heavily obscured thanks to a screen cover hiding the tip of the spoiler, the thin A-pillars ensure your view forward is unlike any modern Mercedes. It might be a little lacklustre, and frankly dated, but the bad boy exterior is so extreme it more than makes up for any shortfall in the cabin.

Driving it:

Two hundred and thirty five horsepower, a 0-62mph time of 7.1 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. Read the numbers alone and you'd be right to expect this review to be about a contemporary hot hatch, a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder unit found under the bonnet and a six-speed manual gearbox to be stirred by the over enthusiastic teenager behind the wheel. But you'd be wrong. Oh so very wrong.

For those are the exact figures that number 222 of the limited run Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II left the factory with. And while they might not impress today - a modern diesel could show this car a clean pair of heels in a straight line - back in 1990 they were as mind blowing as the looks. And clichéd or not, this car is not about straight line performance.

Through a series of twisting and undulating back roads the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II really does come alive (I know, I know) beneath you. The steering is beautifully weighted, in the way that classic power steering systems often are, and with the suspension set to its sportiest setting the Evo remains flat and composed at whatever speed you dare tackle the apex. There's plenty of grip from the 245/40 R17 tyres as well, and you can lean on the Mercedes with confidence, the brakes strong and quick to act if you do find yourself in any trouble.

With a dog-leg gearbox, that still feels wonderfully tight and accurate on this 37,000-mile example, you do have to remind yourself of the layout occasionally, lest you select second instead of fourth. But even if you make the mistake, it's not worth worrying about, as it's not only the chassis that makes this car such a masterpiece, but the engine too. Check out the pictures - not many Mercedes saloons feature a redline that could give a Honda a run for its money, but the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II doesn't make run out of puff until 7,700rpm and peak power only arrives 500rpm earlier.

That's all thanks to some fettling by race-engine builder Cosworth (more famous for its Ford collaboration), transforming what is really a relatively normal four-cylinder petrol engine. Extend the Cosworth four-cylinder to its upper levels and you're treated to a delightfully raw note, and for want of another cliché one that sounds more race car than road car. It's an addictive trait, and you soon find yourself making excuses to wind the 2.5-litre unit right round the clock to savour more of the noise.

What you get for your Money:

As there were only 500 ever built, and less than one per cent of these appear to be currently taxed in the UK, you could suggest finding a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-6 Evolution II is rather difficult. There are a number of copies and replicas out there though, so beware if you are buying. A standard 190E Cosworth ranges from £5,000 to £20,000, but if you want an Evo then be prepared to pay at least double that last figure, and even more for one with low mileage.

New the 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-6 Evolution II would have cost the lucky few a whopping £40,000 - or around £10,000 more than its main rival the E30 BMW M3. Full leather for the seats was optional, though the Evo did come with adjustable sports suspension and of course that bonkers body kit as standard, which must be worth the asking price alone.

Worth Noting

As the name suggests the 1990 Evo II was actually the second touring car homologation from Mercedes, the Evo I unveiled one year earlier. Shown at the Geneva Motor Show all 502 cars sold out in a couple of months and the race versions made their debut on the 14th May 1989, where they dominated the DTM series thanks to the changes to the 190E's chassis and engine. By the time the Evo II arrived a year later the racers were making 333hp at 8,500rpm - though race fuel could see this rise to as high as 360hp.

Summary

Get behind the wheel of this car after a modern AMG Mercedes and you'll likely feel some initial disappointment. The cabin isn't particularly special (save for the dog-leg gearbox arrangement) and when you fire up the four-cylinder engine it's hard not to miss the rumble of the traditional hot Mercedes V8. But, drive off and it's soon clear that despite its advancing years this is one special car. Within a few miles and a handful of corners, the upper echelons of the rev-range experienced and having caught sight of the car's reflection you'll be hooked and suddenly understand just what the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 is all about.