The message, Mercedes Benz works on a new model row underneath the E-class at that time, was at the beginning of the eighties-years a sensation and offered cause for various speculations. Newspapers had reported as in detail rarely so often and on a secret autoprototype as on the “small” Mercedes Benz, which therefore already attained world fame before its premiere as “baby Benz”.
For the Stuttgart automobile mark considerations of many years concretized themselves with this car. The more compact sedan corresponded to the desire of many automobile buyers and offered to Mercedes Benz the chance to be established in a new market segment and won new customers. Besides world-wide the call became after more economical automobiles louder and Mercedes Benz could with the type 190 prove that the high, mark-typical standards are realizable regarding security and comfort also in a smaller, more economical model.
Therefore there were strict targets for the development engineers. They had to bring consumption-relevant criteria like small weight and good aerodynamics with the Mercedes yardsticks for passenger security, driving stability, comfort and quality in agreement. It applied to develop a genuine Mercedes Benz, the 30 centimeters more briefly, ten centimeters more narrowly and 280 kilograms be easier should than the Mercedes middle class at that time (W 123) and that on the average only 8.5 litres fuel per 100 of kilometers to use should. Engineers their goal reached assistance of most modern development and computation methods as well as by employment of newly developed lightweight construction materials. Thus the Mercedes Benz became 190 also the technology trendsetter for the automotive manufacture.
With one at the material accident oriented security concept, which considered the offset frontal impact already at that time, was the sedan of their time far ahead. Also at the beginning of the eighties-years other automobile of this Fahrzeugklasse did not offer anti-skid system, belt-taut and Airbag, which were available as desire equipments. To today unsurpassed space steering wheel rear axle likewise world premiere celebrated like the first high-strength steel alloys in the Mercedes Benz 190, which offer maximum firmness with minimum weight.
Mercedes Benz with the type also formally entered 190 new ground. The sharp-edged, trapezoidal organization of the body and at that time the tail unusually high for conditions provided for attention. This alignment transferred Mercedes Benz later in other model rows - the “baby Benz” was thus also Wegbereiter of a new Design style, which coined/shaped the sedans with the star to beginning of the nineties-years.
The Design concept corresponded to at the same time also technical realizations. Because by the high, inward drawn in tail engineers could clearly reduce the air resistance of the body and obtained with a cW-value of 0,33 a result, which was by 25 per cent under the average value of all passenger vehicles of the time at that time.
Thus by intelligent lightweight construction and exemplary aerodynamics two important conditions for favorable fuel consumption were fulfilled. The Mercedes Benz 190 with that 66 KW of 90 HP strong four-cylinder carburetor engine used in third-mixes 8.5 litres gasoline ever 100 kilometers, the 190 E (90 KW of 122 HP) with the first mechanical-electronically steered fuel injection drove with only 8.3 litres gasoline 100 kilometers far. In the autumn 1983 rounded Mercedes Benz the engine program by a again developed diesel engine off. The 190 D (53 KW of 72 HP) fuel per 100 of kilometers was content with 6,6 litres.
After over two decades are still certified over 23,000 “baby Benz”
From technical perfection and the high quality this very day many drivers and driver profit to this Mercedes sedan. In Germany at present altogether still approximately 230,000 sedans of this type are announced. However from the permission years 1983 to 1985 today altogether 23,290 Mercedes Benz 190 are registered at the force travel Federal Office (KBA). Those are nevertheless approximately eight per cent of at that time newly certified 190er-Modelle. From others, comparable sedans from the years 1983 to 1985 are at present according to KBA depending upon type only announced between 251 and 10.383 vehicles.
Approximately 60,000 Vorbestellungen for the new C-class
Just like the Mercedes Benz 190 before 25 years also the new C-class sets trends in Design and technology. Mercedes Sicherheitsinnovationen like the preventive passenger protection PRE SAFE® and intelligently the Light system does not offer other automobile in this Fahrzeugklasse. Also with the brake system ADAPTIVE BRAKE and the situation-suitable shock absorber regulation of the AGILITY of control package underlines the new C-class their leading position in this market segment. To the selection stand four and six cylinder engines, which carry more out up to 13 per cent than so far and up to 6 per cent less fuel use. Beside the S-class the new C-class is the world-wide only automobile with an official environmental certificate; it confirms the environmentalfair development of the Mercedes models.
Two weeks before the official market premiere decided alone in Western Europe approximately 60,000 drivers and drivers for the new C-class and ordered the sedan.
The review to a quarter century C-class points also from stylistic view parallel between both sedans. They embody in each case for their epoch something new and set and/or set formal trends. As the Mercedes Benz 190 with its trapezoid-like organization in “diamond cross section” - Design at that time the switches for the future Mercedes stylistic idiom placed, is also the new C-class Ambassadors of a new Design style. Thereby the purity of the forms is the center of attention: The designers orient themselves at the rules of the modern purism and interpret them in modern way. By the interrelation of tautly pulled lines with large, calm surfaces the Design expresses superior peace and Kraft and symbolizes thereby the technical sovereignty of the automobiles with the star.
Mercedes Benz carried out this new Design style for the first time in the year 2005 with the S-class. The C-class is a further Ambassador of this alignment and follows thereby in the traces of the luxury models S and CL-class - not than copy, but in individual, independent interpretation.
The type 190 showed a stylistic new beginning before 25 years also by a reorganization of the steeped in tradition Mercedes Kühlermaske, which were not no more put on, but were integrated concisely into the front portion. With the new C-class the radiator mask is likewise an important Design element with high symbol strength. Because Mercedes Benz uses the radiator mask for the first time in the case of a sedan also, in order to position certain characteristics still more clearly. Thus the LINEs CLASSIC and ELEGANCE show some salient face courses of the S-class, which characteristics symbolize such as soundness, comfort and luxury by their three-dimensional formed radiator mask consciously. With the LINE the designers an optically still more salient radiator grille with broad lamellas and the large, centrically arranged Mercedes star use AVANT-GARDE. With this typical characteristic of sporty Mercedes models the dynamic agile character of this model is stressed.
Mercedes classical author with 150 per cent increase in value in few years
Long-term quality in Design and technology - those are two of the most important reasons for the high stability of value of the Mercedes passenger vehicles. They obtain highest resale price in almost all age and Fahrzeugklassen and carry therefore for many years the descriptor “value master”.
The type 190 shows the fact that 25 years old Mercedes Benz does not look “old” but in the streetscape still makes a good figure. This timeless attractiveness distinguishes all Mercedes models; it accompanies with high technical reliability. Both characteristics are conditions for it that from “value masters” automobiles become classical authors - and that the purchase of a Mercedes Benz can be a long-term investment, makes the high net yields possible.
Like that Mercedes Benz is also on the market of the autoclassical authors the prominent mark. Many models with the star on the hood are hot desired collecting tank objects, whose value from year rises to year. Particularly highly in the course stand for example the Roadster, Cabriolets and Coupés from the fifties and sixties-years, everything in front legendary 300 SL “Flügeltürer” and the 300 SL the Roadster. Their value rose alone between 1998 and 2006 over up to 150 per cent: A Flügeltürer Coupé, for which lovers paid approximately 205,000 euro in the year 1998, is today far worth over 510.000 euro. The 300 SL Roadster cost approximately 153,000 euro to 1998 today obtains the dream sports car proceeds of sale of 385.000 euro or more.
Among the classical authors from tomorrow the specialists in the Mercedes Benz Classic center rank also a model from the first C-class-generation: the Mercedes Benz 190 E 2,3 16 and/or the 190 E 2,5 16. The sporty sedan with the 16-Ventilmotor was manufactured altogether only 25,200 times and is alone therefore a rare piece with Renditepotenzial.