The HWA racing company, founded in 1998 by AMG father Hans Werner Aufrecht, is to sell at auction the first of 100 Mercedes HWAs it will build. The first Mercedes HWA model is a restomod after the Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo 2.
As announced in November 2023, HWA will build 100 Mercedes HWAs, a restomod after the Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2. It combines the look of the street version of the DTM car built in 502 examples between 1990-1991 with modern technology.
The first unit with chassis number 000 will be sold at an auction organized by the Sotheby auction house on 27 July in Tegernsee. This example will be hand-built and the buyer will receive copies of original documents, that are kept in the manufacturer’s archives.
HWA said the first customers have ordered the car which costs 714,000 euros ($781,523) plus VAT, which at 20% VAT works out to around 856,800 euros ($937,828). A 30% deposit is required for reservation.
HWA was founded in 1998 by Hans Werner Aufrecht, the father of AMG, and has built among others the Mercedes CLK GTR street version, the CLK DTM AMG in 2004, which is one of the most agile Mercedes models ever built, and the Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series in 2008. HWA is active in motorsport participating with the Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 in GT Sport and Formula 2,3 and E races.
V6 engine, manual gearbox, new suspension and brakes
The Mercedes HWA is a restomod based on the 190 (W201) from which HWA has kept only the body shell, which it has protected in a cathodic dip-coat bath.
Although HWA says it kept the body, the Mercedes HWA has different dimensions from its illustrious predecessor: 4.58 meters long instead of 4.43 meters, a longer wheelbase of 2.75 meters instead of 2.67 meters, and a width of 1.90 meters instead of 1.72 meters. To achieve a 50-50 weight distribution, the gearbox has been moved to the rear axle, and HWA says the center of gravity is just 40 cm above the ground.
The drivetrain and engine have nothing in common with the Mercedes 190 E 2.5-16 Evo2. The double wishbone suspension has replaced the McPherson strut front and multilink rear suspension, and the wheels are 19 inches compared to 17 inches on the classic model. The Mercedes HWA runs on 245/35 front and 265/35 rear tires, and the brake system uses steel disc brakes of 380 mm front and 360 mm rear.
The 3-liter V6 engine with dry sump lubrication develops 450 PS and 550 Nm, reaches a maximum rpm of 6,800 rpm, and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission with a top speed of 6,800 rpm.
Although the HWA uses carbon fiber extensively, the heavier-than-4-cylinder V6 engine, modern safety systems now mandatory, and larger dimensions have made the Mercedes HWA weigh 1,350 kg, only 10 less than the classic car.
