The Mercedes-Benz 190 (another designation: W201) is a German middle-class passenger car that was first presented to the public in 1982. Serial production took place in 1982-1993. About 1.9 million copies of this car were produced in its course. It was concentrated in factories in the cities of Sindelfingen and Bremen in Germany. The car was commonly known as “Baby-Benz”.
Model 190 was developed as a completely new car in the offer of Mercedes-Benz, having no direct predecessor. The main goal of its creation was the manufacturer’s desire to enter the middle class car segment and obtain as much of it as possible. Its direct competitor on the German market was the BMW 3 series, and its premiere and production launch marked a specific business breakthrough at Mercedes, which after 1945 was known primarily for the production of expensive and exclusive upper-middle and upper-class limousines. The Mercedes-Benz 190 was designed by Bruno Sacco and was based on the earlier versions of the S-class. The 190 also received a wide range, often economical, gasoline and diesel engines, basic and additional equipment rich for those times, a new suspension system and a modernized steering system. . Finally, it turned out to be a very successful design with considerable reliability and travel comfort, which was a market success. The car also successfully participated in motor racing. The C-class in the Mercedes offer has become the successor of the 190 model.
