£700k buys you a no-expenses-spared Mercedes 190E Evo restomod

Following a few years of intense development, UK-based car restorer HWA has finally launched its fully restored and modernized version of the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evo II. Almost three-fourths of the planned production run oof 100 units are reportedly sold out by now, despite prices starting from £700,000 ($767,000).

The chassis gets borrowed from the original 190E, but the front and rear ends get fabricated anew from stainless steel and aluminum. A custom carbon-fiber body gets overlaid on this frame to minimize weight and drag.

The stock four-cylinder engine retires, and a modern 3.0-liter V6 takes up its place. It features a dry-sump lubrication system and produces 450 PS (444 hp / 331 kW) along with 549 Nm (405 lb-ft) of torque. Buying an optional package called Affalterbach raises the power to 500 PS (493 hp / 368 kW) while keeping the torque the same. The engine is mounted slightly behind the front axle for a perfect per-axle distribution of weight.

A six-speed manual transmission sends the momentum to the rear axle. The restomod hits a cool 270 km/h (168 mph) as is and can even go up to 298 km/h (185 mph) with the Affalterbach package.

Other notable features mentioned in the press release include all-new suspension based on KW coilovers and dampers, six-piston front brakes and carbon-ceramic discs all around (optional). The interior gets an overhaul with modern Recaro seats and smartphone support, but HWA says it sticks to the retro style of the original.