In the concrete jungle of Jakarta, you see many impressive cars roaming the streets. Despite the rise of soulless EVs and econoboxes, thankfully, there are still those who embrace nostalgia by keeping the classics alive.
In fact, you could say it’s a thriving community, with many parents and grandparents passing down their treasured vehicles to younger family members as a way to continue their legacy. High-profile local automotive events like ‘The Elite’ also help bring new people into the culture.
It’s all but impossible to import a classic car into Indonesia, so all the relics you see on the road here have been in the country since they were new. That includes this 1992 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6 Sportline.
The 190E’s roots are humble – it was born in 1982 out of the need for a compact, fuel-efficient Mercedes-Benz model in the US market. But it didn’t take long for the W201 to find its way into the highest echelon of production car racing – Group A. With a little help from Cosworth, of course.
When the high-performance, motorsport homologation model 190E made its debut, Mercedes-Benz brought Formula 1 superstars, including Aryton Senna, to the Nürburgring to help showcase its abilities. In the years following, the 2.3-16 (2.3L, DOHC 16-valve) evolved into the 2.5-16 (2.5L, DOHC 16-valve), with further Evolution versions becoming its ultimate form.
Thanks to the retrofitted 2.3-16 body kit, this 190E 2.6 Sportline looks like a Cosworth car, but beneath its skin, it’s still the performance-minded executive saloon Mercedes-Benz intended it to be. Instead of a raspy four-cylinder engine, it’s powered by a smooth 2.6L M103 inline-six, good for 158hp. With a factory 5-speed manual gearbox pushing that power through the rear wheels, the 2.6 Sportline could go 0-60mph in less than nine seconds.
The Sportline package featured wider wheels and tires, quicker steering, and performance-oriented suspension with a ride height almost 1 inch lower than that of a standard 190E. Looking inside reveals the 2+2 sporty seat configuration unique to the Sportline, with half black leather trim throughout. The cabin is mint, with all the original wood-look panels still intact.
This particular 190E is not garage-kept, but a daily-driven commuter, which is a testament to its build quality. The only exception is the electric windows, which currently don’t work. That’s the joy of classic car ownership – there’s always something to fix or tinker with.
No matter how old they are, the legacy of cars like this 190E Sportline must live on. With passionate owners like the ones we have here in Jakarta, they surely will for some time to come.
This 190E is definitely a staple of Indonesia
The 190E is actually the unicorn of the Sacco-Benz sedans in Indonesia – we got a huge ton of W124s because they were locally made, W140s are plentiful for the wealthy businessmen, but the 190E was never officially sold in Indonesia and only came through special channels like foreign diplomats or government employees. And the price reflects it, the cheapest 190E is around 2x of even the best condition W124 sedan.