The rather rare 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6 Sportline with 5-speed manual gearbox is back up for sale, having failed to meet its reserve last time.
The below post originally appeared on our site June 13, 2014:
Click for more details: 1993 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6 Sportline on eBay
We’ve all heard the stories of impending doom when it relates to the future of the manual transmission. I remember looking through the 1987 Mercedes-Benz catalog as a child, and spotting a 190E 2.3-16 with a picture of the interior. I thought “my, how strange it looks to see a manual shift in a Mercedes†even though I had seen plenty on my trips back to Portugal to see family. While the 190E 2.3-16 was certainly an oddity in the lineup at the time, it wasn’t odd to see one equipped with a 5-speed manual, as most were optioned this way. This wasn’t the case with other W201s, and this final year 190E 2.6 with the Sportline package and 5-speed manual transmission is a rare sight indeed. For sale in Massachusetts, it has low mileage but hasn’t been registered in a decade. Is this one worth taking a flyer on?
Year: 1993
Model: 190E 2.6 Sportline
Engine: 2.6 liter inline-6
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 87,500 mi
Price: $6,500 Buy It Now
Car has been garaged for 21 years, climate controlled. Has not been registered/street driven for ten years. Runs, drives, no leaks. No accidents, female owned/operated. Non smoker. Optional Equipment on the vehicle Spruce Green Metallic Paint, Parchment Leather, Anti-Theft Alarm System, Sportline Package, LOJACK, trunk mounted CD player.
My father drove a 1992 190E 2.6 (sans Sportline package) and to be quite honest, it was one of my most favorite Mercedes that I have driven. It combined the comfort and commanding feel of an S class in a nice, tidy package and that 2.6 liter inline-6 was buttery smooth with the well-matched 4-speed automatic. I’d be very curious to take a 2.6 with a 5-speed manual out for a spin. A PPI on this car would certainly be in order given it has been sitting around for so long, but even if a few gremlins need fixing beneath the surface, this is one baby Benz well worth saving, if only due to its sheer rarity.
-Paul
In 1996 I needed a reliable DD to handle my work commute. My ’90 Corrado was proving a bit troublesome so I was split between an E30 or a 190E and did not have time to waste. Every 190 I drove looked fantastic but either a) had some mechanical issue and not much of a service history or b) was the 2.3 paired with an auto, which was not my cup of tea. I came across a creaming bargain ’90 325is and never looked back. Still, part of me wishes I had found the right 190, like this one, because I’ve been a sucker for 190s since their intro.
First Benz I ever drove. The owner had a Triumph sitting in the weeds of his farm. It makes sense why he had a Benz with a manual transmission.