1991 Mercedes Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II

📸: Photo courtesy of SymbolicInternational.com

The Serious Downforce series continues.... here we have what must be the first (if not only) production luxury sedan to sport a tall, basket handle wing. The 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II was the top of the compact sports sedan for Mercedes, as it valiantly attempted to do battle with BMW's ever capable M3 in the German Touring Car championship (DTM - Deutsche Tourinwagen Meisterschaft), which was based on production cars.

📸: Photo by AutoGeSpot

The Evolution II was the third iteration of the 16-valve 190E. The engine was manufactured by Cosworth, a 4 cylinder inline with double overhead cams, and by the time the Evo II was released, output had risen to 232 horsepower.

📸: Photo by Saens Loyson

The previous versions of the car had a much smaller spoiler. The Evo II's extensive aerodynamic mods were designed by Professor Richard Eppler of the University of Stuttgart. In combination with the tall, adjustable wing, the aero package is said to have reduced drag to 0.29 while increasing downforce.