Mercedes-Benz W 201
Mercedes Benz 190 E ( 1982-1988 )
The Mercedes -Benz W 201 is the first Mercedes of the middle class and forerunner of the C-Class. He aimed mainly due to the buyers of the successful BMW 3 Series from.
The model was independent of the cubic capacity of the installed units, as Mercedes -Benz sold 190. The presentation took place on 8 December 1982 to August 1993, the W 201 more than 1.8 million examples were built. He is one of the most successful models of Mercedes -Benz.
Model history
General
The Mercedes -Benz W 201 marks the transition to a new generation of vehicles for Daimler -Benz. Multi-link rear axle, newly developed encapsulated diesel engines and aerodynamic and material body are for the new style. The W 201 was produced over 10 years, and should ask itself primarily against the BMW 3 Series, which reached big sales volume in the United States.
At the same time, the oil crisis in 1974 showed the need for a more economical and compact model. Nevertheless, the passive safety was on a very high level: with interpretation on offset crash and since the start of production available ABS and driver's airbag offered the W201 features that the competition offered only some 10 years later in this segment.
Technology
The W 201 is the first Mercedes car with the so-called multi-link rear axle. It has five per wheel suspension link, which are mounted on the steering knuckle and the axle or the vehicle body in each case a point. Each of these links takes the knuckle one of the six degrees of freedom of motion of a body in space, so that just remains a degree of freedom for compression and rebound. This design offers over conventional axles more ways to the change of camber and toe depending on the compression and the forces acting ( elasto ) vote.
The front axle is for a relatively simple damper strut suspension with wishbone. It is similar to the MacPherson axis, except that the helical spring is disposed around the shock absorber around, but acting on the wishbone.
Instead of the typical Mercedes- foot parking brake is a "normal" brake lever is located on the center console. The reason for this lies in the relatively narrow footwell of the car that did not offer the space for a parking pedal. Also new is the arm wiper, which was equipped in the fall of 1984 with a special lifting technology and thus covering a larger area - according to the Mercedes -Benz AG up to 86% of the disk. This was also used in the 124 series introduced in November 1984, the successor to the 202 series and other later models.
Design
In the broad proportions of the W 201 remained until the Model 203 series. The design with the relatively short, high and tapered rear end broke radically with the previous Mercedes models. Also was the W 201, the first Mercedes, the externally - with the exception of the grille - entirely renounced chrome trim. The drag coefficient is, according to Daimler -Benz in 1983 at 0.33. Later, middle and upper class models 124 series and 140 series took to the elementary design features of the W 201.
Models and engines
First, the models 190 and 190 E were ( with the petrol engine M102 ) offered; from the fall of 1983 completed the 53 kW diesel variant 190D ( OM601 ) and the sports version of the 190 E 2.3-16 ( M102 with four valves per cylinder and 136 kW/185 hp) the program. In 1985 additional models were offered, the 190 D 2.5 ( OM602 ) with 66 kW, the 190 E 2.3 with 100 kW and 190 E 2.6 with a 122 kW six-cylinder in-line engine ( M 103 ). Later, the 190 D 2.5 in an increased to 90 kW turbo version, initially equipped with four-speed automatic delivered. Export markets was subject to the 180 E. At the Paris Motor Show, the new generation in 1986 was presented by Sechzehnventilern. The model 190 E 2.5-16 with 143 kW ( 195 hp ) do as Evo racing touring car a name.
The 16 - valve engines are from a collaboration with the Cosworth engine developers and have been offered in some markets as the 190 E 2.3-16 Cosworth.
The Tuning Model 190 E 3.2 AMG with 172 kW ( 234 hp ) was also available through the Mercedes- Benz dealers from 1992.
Gasoline engines:
A few years offered Mercedes -Benz to both models with a catalytic converter ( CAT ) and without ( RÜF ). The RÜF models there was the possibility of retrofitting it later. The versions without Kat had a slightly higher performance. The resulting catalyst by introducing the power deficit of 190 -E 2.0 and 2.3 models from 1991 was offset by the use of the exhaust system of the 190 E 2.6. Output has increased at 2.0 from 87 to 90 kW and at 2.3 from 97 to 100 kW.
Diesel engines:
Facelift
In September / October 1988 the following changes have been made in connection with a major facelift:
- New painted bumpers and side planks ( " Sacco - boards " )
- New seats with recline, new upholstery and foam core instead of innerspring
- Belts front height adjustable
- Electric heated door mirrors, electrically adjustable right
- Hämatitfarben anodized window frames
- Exterior mirrors in body color (before facelift uniformly black )
In the spring of 1991, the exhaust system of the 190 E was changed 2.0 and 2.3, which were given back the lost through the catalyst 3 kW both variants. Now again contributed 90 and 100 kW.
1992, there were the special model series avant-garde. The series consisted of three models ( with the name: Azzurro, Rosso and Verde), which were sold in limited numbers. The models had to each one a special tone-on -tone metallic paint and on the other a striking interior. The lettering Avantgarde is located on all models right on the glove compartment lid.
Other special models:
Mercedes 190 DTM versions
A great success was achieved with the Mercedes -Benz 190 E 2.5-16 in the racing season 1992: he won 16 of 24 races in the German Touring Car Championship ( DTM ) and finished in the final positions one to three. No other car collected to date in the DTM season, more wins, more points, more pole positions, more fastest laps and more leadership km as the prepared Mercedes- Benz - house tuner AMG 190 E 2.5-16 in its second stage of evolution (Brief description EVO II).
The 2.5 -liter four- cylinder of the winning car of factory driver Klaus Ludwig guaranteed thanks to four-valve technology and Motronic approximately 272 kW ( 370 hp) at 9.500/min. Consistent weight reduction outweighs the EVO II ready to drive only 980 kg. It accelerates in 4.5 seconds from zero to 100 km / h His strength, he delivers a straight-cut six-speed gearbox to the rear axle with mechanical lock. It is shifted without using the clutch at full throttle. The cylinder head of the engine came from the British company Cosworth.
Production
The total number of produced Mercedes -Benz W 201 totals approximately 1.9 million copies. A special feature was that in the history of Daimler -Benz, a model was produced at two locations simultaneously for the first time. Exactly 58 % of the vehicles built the plant in Bremen. The other 42% of the vehicles were manufactured at the Sindelfingen plant.
About 53 % of the vehicles built was sold in Germany, only every tenth car in the United States. This ratio was unusually low at Daimler -Benz, especially as the impetus for development came from the U.S. in the first place. The most sought-after types presented the 190 E 2.0 ( around 34 %) and 190 D (24%) dar. Although introduced in 1990, was the 190 E 1.8, possibly due to its good value for money, in a short time a third of the taking total sales for themselves.
The last Mercedes -Benz W 201 was built in August 1993 at the factory in Bremen and handed over to the Mercedes -Benz Museum. The successor of the W 201 was 1993, the C-Class series 202
Kaengsaeng 88
In 1988, the models of the Mercedes -Benz W 201 were copied illegally and without permission of Daimler -Benz AG and manufactured in small numbers in North Korea by the company Sungri engine factory. Imported vehicles from Mercedes- Benz have been completely dismantled and rebuilt all components. The vehicles had strong processing defects, ultimately, production ceased again.