Iconic Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16v is the ultimate throwback to ’80s racing, and is one of the rarest ones in existence.
Regarding Mercedes-Benz in the 198os, there aren’t many cars that draw as much attention as the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16v. This is the car that led into a long line of incredible performance sedans, so the old 190E in its sporty form has become a popular collectable. However, this one in particular is special for an entirely different reason.
It was driven by Niki Lauda himself. No, we’re not even remotely joking.
Lauda’s 190E
Unfortunately, the listing for this classic Mercedes doesn’t have any details on the car itself, but as you can see in the pictures here, the car is in remarkably good shape. The interior appears to be relatively stock, with the exception of a roll cage, a racing seat and racing harnesses.
On the outside, the car still wears the on-track graphics, including Lauda’s name, the car number and some small sponsor decals. All of the body panels appear to be stock and in perfect shape, as are the wheels. Ultimately, for a car that was raced around the Nurburgring Grand Prix track with some of the world’s greatest road racers, it is practically spotless.
Nürburgring Race of Champions
Back in 1984, the Nürburgring Race of Champions was held at the famous German race track to celebrate the opening of the then-new Grand Prix course. Legendary racers from around the world came to “The Ring” for this unique race, where all of the competitors drove specially-prepared, high-performance sedans.
Names in this race included Sir Stirling Moss, Alain Prost, Niki Lauda, Jack Brabham and Ayrton Senna, with Lauda piloting the number 18 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16v. Senna won the race, also in a 190E, and Lauda finished second in his silver sedan. This is the exact same Mercedes, and is an incredibly historic item for the collector’s market.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
