HWA has unveiled the first interior photos of the HWA Evo, a restomod of the Mercedes 190 E 2.5-16 Evo2.
HWA has taken another step in the development of the HWA EVO and unveiled the first official photos of the HWA EVO interior, which is a restomod after the Mercedes 190 E 2.5-16 Evo2.
Dubbed the “Interior Testbed”, the interior is a 1:1 scale recreation of the center section of the car’s body.
Original dashboard, classical butoons, digital instrument cluster and multimedia display
Original 190E elements such as the dashboard, door handles, and four-spoke steering wheel have been retained and integrated into the new design. But the classic dashboard instruments have been replaced with digital ones, and in the middle of the center console is a display for the multimedia system that comes with phone mirroring capability, wireless charging, and a state-of-the-art sound system.
However, to maintain a balance between tactile and analog controls and respect the ergonomics of the original model, HWA didn’t ditch the physical buttons for audio volume, electric windows, central locking, and climate control. The window controls remain on the center tunnel but their position has been changed from two-by-two to the left and right of the gearshift in front of it. HWA kept the rotary knobs for climate control from the original model, and the audio volume is adjusted from the rotary knob placed behind the window controls.
On the center tunnel, the centerpiece is the 6-speed manual transmission shifter, on which there will be a small plaque designating that particular model number out of the 100 produced.
The official photo shows two AMG-style rotary knobs on the steering wheel, but HWA isn’t giving any details for now.
25% of the original body, roll cage wrapped in Alcantara
The HWA Evo not only looks similar to the 190E 2.5-16 Evo2 but utilizes about 25 percent of the 190E’s steel bodywork that’s hidden under the new carbon fiber components. However, the HWA EVO has retained the front, center, and rear pillars from the original model and that’s why additional body stiffening was necessary.
Thus, the HWA EVO has a roll cage, wrapped in Alcantara, the front seats have four-point seat belts, and there are two individual seats in the rear with Isofix fastening system. HWA has taken into account the opinions of future owners, some of whom are owners of the original Evo 2 when designing the interior. A high level of material customization and bespoke options will enable owners to personalize their HWA EVO like never before, with an exceptional variety of colors, trims, and styles available.
Due to the fact that only the center part of the body has been kept, the dimensions are modified. The HWA Evo is 4.58 m long, 1.90 m wide, 1.36 m high, 15 cm longer, and 18 cm wider, while the wheelbase of 2.75 meters is 8 cm longer.
The front and rear subframes that support the axles are made of aluminum, high-strength steel, and carbon fiber and are clamped to the central area. The suspension is double-wishbone and features KW dampers that can be adjusted manually or electronically. The HWA Evo rides on 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels with 245/35 R19 front and 265/35 R20 rear tires with steel brake discs. Ceramic brake discs and adaptive suspension are optional. Steel or ceramic brake discs are supplied by Brembo while Bosch supplies the ESP unit.
Transaxle system, V6 bi-turbo with 450 or 500 PS
The 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine is mounted as far rearward as possible and the front axle is pushed 50 mm forward. A driveshaft in the center tunnel transmits power from the engine to the rear axle, where the gearbox is positioned according to the transaxle principle. This gives an ideal weight distribution of 50-50%.
With dry sump lubrication, the engine oil sump is not mounted under the engine but in a separate tank, and thus the engine could be mounted lower. HWA states that the center of gravity is only 40 cm above the ground. Although aluminum and carbon fiber were used, the curb weight is 1360 kg, similar to the original model. The use of the V6 engine instead of the four-cylinder and the reinforcements needed to achieve a modern level of safety negated the mass advantage gained by using lightweight materials.
The 3.0-liter V6 engine has been used in the C and S-Class since 2010 and has been modified by HWA to deliver 450 PS and 550 Nm or 500 PS if the Affalterbach package is opted for. In the base version, the top speed is limited to 270 kph, while with the Afflaterbach package, the top speed is limited to 300 kph.
The HWA EVO will be available in any color requested by the customer and the price starts at 849,660 euros including 19% VAT. A 30% deposit is required for reservation. Example number 000 has already been sold at a Sotheby’s auction for 1.31 million euros, almost 50% more than the standard model.
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