1989 Mercedes-Benz 190E Cosworth

The Mercedes-Benz 190E Cosworth’s first owner was His Majesty King Constantine II of the Hellenes, so it’s only right that it now wears the registration number ‘B2 KOG’. (Belonged to King of Greece, get it?)

The seller tells us that the VIN shows it was a one-off build for him, and it is believed to be the only W201 ever finished in Nautical Blue Metallic (paint code L929).

The King also asked that its exterior badges be deleted, and for it to be fitted with green-tinted windows, air-conditioning, central locking, an electric sliding/tilting sunroof, heated door mirrors, and a Becker Mexico radio.

The mechanical specification includes automatic transmission and a limited-slip differential, with the former being the obvious choice for a car whose role was to smoke around London as effortlessly and stylishly as possible.

 

The W201 series has always been known for its bomb-proof construction and durability; throw in a money-no-object maintenance regime for its first dozen years plus an interesting first owner and the fact this one continues to look so good is little surprise.

It’s weathered the vicissitudes of almost four decades with typical Teutonic nonchalance, still boasting impressive shutlines, razor-sharp panel alignment (something the horizontal creases along the flanks highlight), and an overall air of wellbeing.

Regal, in fact.  

The colour, Nautical Blue Metallic, is a delight. Whereas the factory officially only offered five colours – Blue-Black DB199, Smoke Silver DB702, Almadin Red DB512, and Astral Silver DB735 plus Brilliant Silver DB744 from 1991 – the palette available to the well-heeled was clearer much wider.

The rich aren’t like us.

But that’s okay because His Majesty would have paid significantly more for the Cosworth than you will, so you get to live the high-net-worth lifestyle for relative peanuts.

And, like the metalwork underneath, the paintwork is very good with a healthy sheen and fewer marks than it would be reasonable to expect on a car of this age. It’s obviously had some work as there’s overspray on the sunroof’s seal but it looks very smart.

The lamp lenses are all free of damage too, the badges are shiny, and he window glazing is all good.

The chrome radiator shell is in good order with no dents or other damage, even if the shine has dulled a little.

The 15-inch alloy wheels are also in good shape with only minor kerbing marks and a little staining from the accumulation of brake dust over the years.

All four tyres are matching 205/55R15 Continental ContiEcoContact, all of which have good tread. However, they are old now and cracked with age, so you will need to replace them.

As for flaws, there are a few light marks plus some aging to the rubber in the centre of the bumpers, a scuff to the offside corner of the front bumper, loss of lacquer from the rear spoiler, and a scratch on the nearside front wing.

The black plastic radiator grille and the wiper arms have also faded to grey – but then haven’t we all…
 

The blue leather interior is every bit as appealing as the coachwork.

Starting with the seats, the front ones are heavily bolstered, still nice and firm, and have clearly benefited from above-average curation as they’re free of anything more than minor creases; there are no cracks or cuts, or even any significant loss of colour.

This may be because they’ve been replaced at some time. We suggest this because the specification provided from Mercedes-Benz says it left them with A000 Aristo/Caruso cloth seats, which is an anomaly we wouldn’t even mention were it not for the car’s Royal connection.

The rear seats are almost as heavily bolstered as the ones in front, so all four occupants will be able to transition seamlessly from racetrack to continental touring comfortably and securely. They’re in an even better condition too.

There’s a smattering of wood in the cabin, and this is also in a good condition with no damage.

The headlining is taut too, and free of damage. It would benefit from being cleaned but that’s about the extent of our concerns.

The dashboard hasn’t suffered the sort of sun-damage we sometimes see either, and the door cards are excellent thanks to a £2,000 investment in getting them recovered.

Yes, you did read that right. Two thousand pounds just to have the door cards retrimmed in leather rather than the vinyl Mercedes specified.

We’re told the seats also operate as they should, as does the central locking. Even the air-conditioning is said to work after having been recommissioned in March 2024 by Three Point Star, an independent Mercedes-Benz specialist.

The boot is both vast and beautifully trimmed, therefore fulfilling its twin roles to perfection. The boot lid still features the warning triangle too, and lifting the false floor up reveals a full-size spare wheel and the tool kit.

The Alpine stereo is not the original, but by way of compensation we can’t spot any of the extraneous holes we all used to make when we screwed mobile phone cradles to things we shouldn’t.

Therefore faults seem to be restricted to a blob of what looks like glue on the offside rear sill cover.
 

The Cosworth’s service history booklet records the following work:

•    09.01.1989 – pre-delivery inspection by Mercedes-Benz Car & Truck Centre
•    06.02.1989 and 791 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Car & Truck Centre
•    01.06.1989 and 6,319 miles – service by Monarch Cars
•    21.09.1989 and 14,850 miles – service by Monarch Cars
•    29.11.1989 and 19,411 miles – service by Monarch Cars
•    06.04.1990 and 26,622 miles – service by Monarch Cars
•    10.07.1990 and 31,977 miles – service by Monarch Cars
•    10.10.1990 and 36,606 miles – service by HMG (Bromley)

A new speedometer was fitted on the 19th of November 1990 at 37,369 miles, and the mileage was then reset to zero.

•    11.06.1991 and 5,884 miles – service by HMG (Bromley)
•    16.10.1991 and 10,895 miles – service by HMG (Bromley)
•    07.07.1992 and 19,519 miles – service by London Road Garage (Romford)
•    06.10.1992 and 24,556 miles – service by London Road Garage (Romford)
•    05.05.1993 and 29,479 miles – service by Bradshaw Webb (Chelsea)
•    19.10.1993 and 35,048 miles – service by Bradshaw Webb (Chelsea)
•    05.04.1994 and 42,145 miles – service by Stevens Coxworld
•    09.08.1994 and 47,175 miles – service by Bradshaw Webb (Chelsea)
•    04.05.1995 and 57,165 miles – service by Wykehams Ltd
•    22.07.1996 and 59,985 miles – service by Bradshaw Webb (Chelsea)
•    28.04.1997 and 67,751 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Great West Road
•    13.10.1997 and 74,173 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Great West Road
•    16.04.1998 and 83,719 miles – service by John Griffiths 
•    23.02.2000 and 102,650 miles – service by Mercedes-Benz Newport

The service history booklet runs out of pages at this point, so the trail recommences with invoices:

•    31.03.2009 and unknown miles – service by PCS Milton Keynes
•    30.12.2014 – invoice for engine oil, plus fuel, cabin, air, and oil filters, from Euro Car Parts
•    05.10.2023 – invoice for engine oil, fuel and oil filters, and sparkplugs from Euro Car Parts

It was recommissioned by Three Point Star in March 2024. This included new injectors, a new fuel distributor and pressure regulator, a full service, attention to the electric windows, recommissioning the air-conditioning system, and retrimming all four door cards. This work ran up a bill for £9,960.

The engine bay looks to be pretty much original and untouched, including yellowing fluid reservoirs, which leaves the new owner free to tread their own path as they navigate the competing demands of originality and perfection.

The underside features the usual patina of rust on the steel fasteners and components, but the rest is undersealed and painted nicely, some parts more recently than others: The invoices on file include one for welding repairs in 2008.

The motor is reluctant to idle after firing into life so some investigation will be needed prior to further road use.

The battery might be fairly recent but it’s weak. This might be because the car hasn’t been used much recently, or it might be because the battery is faulty. Either way, that’s probably not a deal-killer. Nor is the need to replace the cable tie holding the brake pipes in place with something more secure. 
 

The Mercedes’ MoT certificate, which is valid until April 2026, was issued with no advisories, just like the one before.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file includes the stamped service history booklet we referenced above, a letter from Mercedes-Benz confirming the car’s build specification, an old registration document confirming its provenance, a number of expired tax discs and MoT certificates, and a copy of the November 2009 issue of Mercedes Enthusiast in which it featured. 
 

With the price of the BMW M3 E30 and Ford Sierra Cosworth having gone stratospheric, it’s inevitable that those with a hankering for a pure-bred sporting saloon from the eighties are starting to look at the 190E Cosworth.

And it’s not as if you’d be settling for second-best because the 190E is a fantastic car in its own right; let’s not forget that in 1984 Mercedes provided 20 identical cars for top-flight racing drivers to celebrate the opening of the then new Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit. These included such luminaries as Stirling Moss, Niki Lauda, Carlos Reutemann, Keke Rosberg, James Hunt, Alain Prost, and an almost unknown Brazilian called Ayrton Senna - who went on to win the race in a stunning display of car control and confidence.

Only being sold because the seller is reducing the size of his collection, we estimate this unique Mercedes-Benz 190E Cosworth will sell for somewhere between £20,000 and £25,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.