Curb weight of 190e
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Curb weight of 190e
Hello I am new to these cars and looking at purchasing one as a project. Trying to gather information about curb weight on these vehicles for US models as information I find on the Internet is all over the place. I suspect this is comparing US versus European models? I would need to purchase a US version. The Internet shows curb weights ranging anywhere from around 2500 pounds to close to 3000 pounds.
if the European models truly are materially lighter than the US versions, what was the reason for this?
if the European models truly are materially lighter than the US versions, what was the reason for this?
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From: In the bush on the shores of Lake Nipigon
1990 Mercedes 190E
My experience when travelling in Europe is that most of the cars have fewer options like AC, power seats, windows and automatic transmissions which may account for weight difference.
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1991 190E 2.3
If I remember the curb weight listed in my owner's manual, the curb weight is just over 2,900 pounds for the U.S. version. Laura is correct about the weight difference with the European models. The European models were much more sparsely equipped than their North American counterparts.
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If I remember the curb weight listed in my owner's manual, the curb weight is just over 2,900 pounds for the U.S. version. Laura is correct about the weight difference with the European models. The European models were much more sparsely equipped than their North American counterparts.
gosh -350-450 lbs seems a lot for a sunroof and power seats?
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1991 190E 2.3
I don't have power seats. It's also A/C and likely additional crash safety requirements. I don't understand why you're so concerned about the model weight differences. I have no idea what the purpose of your project is.
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I want to build a track / street car, so the ~350 lbs is material. If the weight truly lies in options like power seats, etc then thats fine as its removable. If its in the frame structure or something like you mention above, then its not. I should probably look at the wheel/tire/brake disc size as well.
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190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
I want to build a track / street car, so the ~350 lbs is material. If the weight truly lies in options like power seats, etc then thats fine as its removable. If its in the frame structure or something like you mention above, then its not. I should probably look at the wheel/tire/brake disc size as well.
- Cheers!
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1991 190E 2.3
I agree with "Dolucasi" that daily driving a "track" car would be an uncomfortable ride at best. For the amount that you would be spending replacing the engine, transmission, etc you could buy a car that would already be designed in a lighter weight, more livable way to be a track car and a daily driver. A W201 16v would be a better option but it would be more expensive, especially a manual one. Maybe something from Asia might be a better option. There's way more info and parts available for turning Asian cars into an affordable track car that can also handle daily driving as well. Just my 2 cents.
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I agree with "Dolucasi" that daily driving a "track" car would be an uncomfortable ride at best. For the amount that you would be spending replacing the engine, transmission, etc you could buy a car that would already be designed in a lighter weight, more livable way to be a track car and a daily driver. A W201 16v would be a better option but it would be more expensive, especially a manual one. Maybe something from Asia might be a better option. There's way more info and parts available for turning Asian cars into an affordable track car that can also handle daily driving as well. Just my 2 cents.
At 6’5 there will be no Asian cars. I already have a Porsche but honestly its too nice to track and consumables are high. The logical choice is an e30 or e36, but the former is getting old and doesn't have great suspension - the latter has lots of aftermarket, but they have become pricey and hard to find a good example as they have succumbed to becoming clapped out drift cars in many cases. Both of those cars now have a multitude of Honda k24 engine swap kits.The reason these cars are so popular is they are light weight (relative to late model cars) and they are rwd.
The 190e is similar to these cars as it has the same characteristics noted above. They are relatively cheap, plentiful and in much better condition than the average e30/36 at this point. The only drawback is there wasnt as much depth to the aftermarket performance but I was surprised how much is available. That and Honda kswap kits are coming….
For me Im 50 years old and just looking to build a lightweight lapping car that I can drive on the road. I will have a/c, full cats/muffler exhaust but will probably gut the rear seat and other weight reduction. Think “clubsport”.
The car below is a kswap example - weighs around 2700lbs without driver as the honda engine and bmw zf320 manual trans is much lighter than stock stuff. Has the rest of the full MB interior. A fun lapper now.
https://www.mattcaudell.com/k24-swapped-mercedes-190e/
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1991 190E 2.3
The cheap ones these days are the ones with many owners and very high mileage with a lot of deferred maintenance with a lot of questionable and usually cheap parts used when any maintenance was done. It'll be buyer beware. For me it would be sacrilege to take out the MB engine and transmission and put in a Honda engine and a different transmission. Just my 2 cents.
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The cheap ones these days are the ones with many owners and very high mileage with a lot of deferred maintenance with a lot of questionable and usually cheap parts used when any maintenance was done. It'll be buyer beware. For me it would be sacrilege to take out the MB engine and transmission and put in a Honda engine and a different transmission. Just my 2 cents.
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190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
Do not know about the Honda swap but that engine gives you about 200HP's at 6K rpms and 225HP's at 8K rpms. Is that really better than an M104 swap that gives you higher power at lower rpms? The M104 is a bolt on and you can get a 5 speed manual Mercedes transmission like mine to mate right up.
But that will not give you the big project you are looking for.
But that will not give you the big project you are looking for.
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Do not know about the Honda swap but that engine gives you about 200HP's at 6K rpms and 225HP's at 8K rpms. Is that really better than an M104 swap that gives you higher power at lower rpms? The M104 is a bolt on and you can get a 5 speed manual Mercedes transmission like mine to mate right up.
But that will not give you the big project you are looking for.
But that will not give you the big project you are looking for.
Nobody leaves them stock either. 50 deg vtc and a tune and you are at 250 hp crank. Add cams and you are at 300hp. Guys turbo the stock block and are at 350-400. On top of it its just a good reliable motor. Added bonus is its all aluminum so its light and sits behind the strut towers in most cars. The engine mentioned above is iron block and probably has little aftermarket.
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From: SF Bay Area, CA
190E 2.6L 1989, 190E 2.6L 1988, BMW 535dXdrive 2014, BMW 428i 2015
All makes sense. The big advantage it seems is it being consumable and cheap and abundant. M104 is not that, that is for sure. It is just an easy bolt on.
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1991 190E 2.3
The ones with no accidents and no rust are much harder to find. Because of this, they'll be more expensive. To be honest, the garden variety W201s were never designed to be track cars. You might be better off going with American muscle cars which were designed for the track. Just my 2 cents.
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From: Austin, TX
2006 E55, 2012 GLK350 & 1992 190e sportline
At 6’5 there will be no Asian cars. I already have a Porsche but honestly its too nice to track and consumables are high. The logical choice is an e30 or e36, but the former is getting old and doesn't have great suspension - the latter has lots of aftermarket, but they have become pricey and hard to find a good example as they have succumbed to becoming clapped out drift cars in many cases. Both of those cars now have a multitude of Honda k24 engine swap kits.The reason these cars are so popular is they are light weight (relative to late model cars) and they are rwd.
The 190e is similar to these cars as it has the same characteristics noted above. They are relatively cheap, plentiful and in much better condition than the average e30/36 at this point. The only drawback is there wasnt as much depth to the aftermarket performance but I was surprised how much is available. That and Honda kswap kits are coming….
For me Im 50 years old and just looking to build a lightweight lapping car that I can drive on the road. I will have a/c, full cats/muffler exhaust but will probably gut the rear seat and other weight reduction. Think “clubsport”.
The car below is a kswap example - weighs around 2700lbs without driver as the honda engine and bmw zf320 manual trans is much lighter than stock stuff. Has the rest of the full MB interior. A fun lapper now.
https://www.mattcaudell.com/k24-swapped-mercedes-190e/
The 190e is similar to these cars as it has the same characteristics noted above. They are relatively cheap, plentiful and in much better condition than the average e30/36 at this point. The only drawback is there wasnt as much depth to the aftermarket performance but I was surprised how much is available. That and Honda kswap kits are coming….
For me Im 50 years old and just looking to build a lightweight lapping car that I can drive on the road. I will have a/c, full cats/muffler exhaust but will probably gut the rear seat and other weight reduction. Think “clubsport”.
The car below is a kswap example - weighs around 2700lbs without driver as the honda engine and bmw zf320 manual trans is much lighter than stock stuff. Has the rest of the full MB interior. A fun lapper now.
https://www.mattcaudell.com/k24-swapped-mercedes-190e/
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2006 E55, 2012 GLK350 & 1992 190e sportline
I think for most guys, using the k24 for racing has a few key benefits (much like the LS swaps of everything); they are everywhere - Honda made a billion of these; they are cheap as a result and lastly, they have a huge aftermarket for motorsports. If you pop one while lapping (and everything becomes a consumable tracking a car) you just pay $500 and get another one from some crashed crv.
Nobody leaves them stock either. 50 deg vtc and a tune and you are at 250 hp crank. Add cams and you are at 300hp. Guys turbo the stock block and are at 350-400. On top of it its just a good reliable motor. Added bonus is its all aluminum so its light and sits behind the strut towers in most cars. The engine mentioned above is iron block and probably has little aftermarket.
Nobody leaves them stock either. 50 deg vtc and a tune and you are at 250 hp crank. Add cams and you are at 300hp. Guys turbo the stock block and are at 350-400. On top of it its just a good reliable motor. Added bonus is its all aluminum so its light and sits behind the strut towers in most cars. The engine mentioned above is iron block and probably has little aftermarket.
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1991 190E 2.3
Imho, putting an ordinary Honda engine in an MB is sacrilege. It's better to buy a Japanese car with a Honda engine already installed..
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2006 E55, 2012 GLK350 & 1992 190e sportline
Its a car. Not a religion. I don't want a front wheel drive Honda I want a MB 190e that is not the slowest thing on the road, hard to gets part for, impossible to tune, and gets bad MPG. Also that "ordinary Honda engine" is a bout a million time better engineered than the m102 m103 CIS is the worst.
Last edited by insame1; May 13, 2025 at 12:49 PM.
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1991 190E 2.3
Its a car. Not a religion. I don't want a front wheel drive Honda I want a MB 190e that is not the slowest thing on the road, hard to gets part for, impossible to tune, and gets bad MPG. Also that "ordinary Honda engine" is a bout a million time better engineered than the m102 m103 CIS is the worst.
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2006 E55, 2012 GLK350 & 1992 190e sportline
Spoken by someone who's not an engineer. The engineers who designed the W201 know way more about designing cars. Trying to morph a car that was never designed to be a hot rod track car into a hot rod track car with parts it was never engineered to work with isn't a good idea. Just my 2 cents.. BTW< the W201 has been used around the world as taxis and has racked up millions of millions so it's durability has long been proven,
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1991 190E 2.3
I like how you assume that i am not an engineer. I have been in racing since 1990 and my dad built race car engines from the 70s till the late 90s. He was one of the founders of VORA. I am sorry this hurts your fellers so bad but you are just going to have to grow up and deal with the fact we are not all purest.
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2006 E55, 2012 GLK350 & 1992 190e sportline
Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should. You're very mistaken if you think you know more about your car than the engineers who designed and built it. My engineer father would never have swapped an engine into a car that was designed and manufactured by another company and never designed to be compatible with your car. Juat sayin.
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1991 190E 2.3
Someone who admits they don't have the skills to work on the W201 KE-Jetronic fuel injection system is in way over their heads swapping engines and transmissions to non-oem products. Just my 2 cents.
