It’s been a few minutes since I posted here, and I apologize for the temporary hiatus. Life just got busy, as it can happen on occasion. Well, I was happy to see this barn find Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth as a way to get back in the saddle, given how near and dear this model is to me. Long-term readers may recall I rescued such a car out of a junkyard in Pennsylvania six years ago, and that project is still trudging along (update below). This particular Cosworth runs, but it will need a fair bit of restoration work to be reliable runner – and fortunately for any ambitious enthusiasts out there, it’s offered with no reserve.

Now, one thing I’ve been a bit disappointed by lately is the recent auction sale prices for the Cosworth-tuned 190E. This model, like so many others, rode the pandemic wave to new highs, with clean examples selling about $40,000 fairly reliably. Now, I’ve watched some truly decent cars struggle to break out of the 20s, which is too low for this model, especially considering its primary nemesis from 1986 – the E30-chassis BMW M3 – continues to sell for $50,000 or better, even in similar condition to this. I attribute this discrepancy to simple lack of awareness in the marketplace, which I’ll get to in a minute. While this 190E 2.3-16 does need paint, the seller doesn’t say anything about rust. As I know far too well, that factory bodykit can hide some ugliness if you’re not careful.

The bidding has shot up quickly in the past day, now sitting just below $7,000. which is a bit surprising to me considering this is one of the handful of Cosworths equipped with an automatic transmission. I always felt it was a mistake to offer a homologation performance car with a slushbox, but supposedly the automatic works fairly well with the high-revving Cosworth-enhanced engine. Still, automatic usually sell at a discount compared to the manual transmission-equipped cars, which feature a unique dogleg shift pattern. The Cosworth 190Es also came with a full Recaro interior, including sculpted rear seats, which are in need of upholstery work in this example. I also wonder if the power functions still work.

So, let’s get to the E30 M3 versus Cosworth showdown: most everyone knows that these two models were homologation cars offered at the height of DTM racing. They were highly competitive, and the Cosworth has the added cache of being piloted by the legendary Ayrton Senna as part of a racing series at the Nurburgring Grand Prix made up exclusively of the Cosworth-modified sedan. However, the E30 M3 was more successful in head-to-head showdowns, which can impact a car’s long-term reputation. Still, if you drive both cars back to back, most objective opinions would agree that the Cosworth is a far better road car with more usable power delivery than the high-strung M3.

Now, for anyone who remembers my long-term project, here’s my Cosworth in its current form: the paintwork is done (almost), the rust is fully removed, and the bodykit has been re-installed. It was running, but like most 80s European cars with Bosch fuel injection, it needs some more time in the shop to get it to start easily and run smoothly. I will not see it home before the end of 2024, so we’ll roll into year number 7 soon enough! In the meantime, if you want to take a chance on this running, automatic-equipped 190E 2.3-16 Cosworth, check it out here on eBay.