At the end of 2023, HWA first showed sketches of a model that looked suspiciously like the DTM icon from the early 1990s. Anyone who is somewhat familiar with the sporting history of Mercedes-Benz and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) will see that this is not just a cursory modification of an Evo II. According to HWA, it is a “furious reinterpretation of the legendary Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evo II, equipped with state-of-the-art technologies”. You could also see it as an extreme restomod. HWA emerged from AMG Let’s first go back in time to the origins of HWA. Hans-Werner Aufrecht (85) plays a crucial role in this. He is the A in AMG, the company he founded in 1967 together with Erhard Melchter, the M in the name, in the southern German village of Großaspach, from which the G is derived. Since its foundation, AMG has focused on making Mercedes cars faster, with motorsports at its core. AMG has become a household name in the world of tuning and also an official motorsports partner of Mercedes-Benz. In 1998, Aufrecht sold a majority stake in AMG to the then DaimlerChrysler – the parent company of Mercedes-Benz – and thereby divested all tuning activities for production models. However, he retained responsibility for the motorsports activities and the development of exceptional projects. He transferred these to a new company, to which he simply gave his initials HWA. Mercedes 190 in DTM The first car that HWA developed was the Mercedes-Benz CLR, an impressive-looking but not very successful racing car for the FIA Le Mans Grand Touring Prototype (LMGTP) racing series in 1998. Aufrecht achieved his most impressive successes in touring car racing, where he took his first tentative steps as early as the 1980s. In 1985, the FIA homologated the 190 E 2.3-16, followed by a debut in the then Deutsche Produktionswagen Meisterschaft (DPM). In 1986, the DPM continued as the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) and more and more teams used the 2.3-16. In 1989, the more powerful 2.5-16 experienced its baptism of fire, but this year did not bring any major successes either. Mercedes-Benz 190 2.5-16, 2.5-16 Evo I in the middle and the Evo II in the foreground. Pagani Hyundai R engine With the popularity of the DTM and the introduction of the 2.5-16 Evolution in 1989, Mercedes’ approach became increasingly serious. The 190 E 2.5-16 Evo II would go on to win 16 of the 24 races in 1992, with Klaus Ludwig and AMG Mercedes as champions. Subsequent feats included fitting the 850bhp at 9,000rpm V12 to the Pagani Huayra R, assembling the Apollo IE hypercar and also the De Tomaso P72. However, the first car to officially bear the initials of Hans Werner Aufrecht was the HWA Evo. Technical Director Gordian von Schöning. Why the Evo II and not the Rote Sau? With this history in mind, it’s easy to understand why HWA not only sees the Evolution II as one of its internal highlights, but also as the starting point for this project. This becomes clear when we ask Technical Director Gordian von Schöning about this. Why not choose the iconic Rote Sau (the Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 tuned by AMG)? “We wanted to choose a more modern car, one that is known to a younger and now also wealthy target group, so not only to people who experienced the 60s and 70s. There are almost twenty years between that Rote Sau and the Evo. We wanted to focus on the 90s, because we think that is an interesting and emerging market. Especially in the US, there are groups of people who now have money passed on from the baby boomer generation and this new generation is crazy about the 90s and the cars from that era. That is why we think that this is the best starting point for our first model.” Any Mercedes 190 can serve as a basis, but not real Evos, because they are too expensive. Besides the why, we are also interested in how HWA is going to build the Evo. “It is important to mention that we are not starting with a real Evo II. That would be crazy, because it costs a fortune and only 502 units were made,” Von Schöning explains almost sternly. “We are using a W201 frame as a basis and that can even be a 190 D with a lot of kilometers, as long as it is not rusty or damaged. We are going to remove all coatings and paint from the chassis. Because we are using a base that was developed as a compact sedan in the late 70s and came onto the market in 1984 without any sporting aspirations, it is not the most obvious platform for a high-performance sports car that has to compete in the top segment, but it is precisely with this that we can demonstrate our expertise outside of motorsport.” The bare metal chassis undergoes various modifications to increase stiffness. The base must also provide space for the larger wheels and the completely newly developed front and rear aluminum subframes, as well as the new wheel suspension. “It is completely independent and therefore different from the original. Our racing experience clearly comes to the fore here. We are also developing a very specific ABS and ESP system. That is important, because the weight distribution is very different and in combination with the completely new chassis that is important.” HWA goes further than Singer with a Porsche 911 The interventions that HWA makes are therefore much more extensive than, for example, Singer does on the basis of the Porsche 911. “Only the A, B and C pillars and the glass remain standard, the rest is stretched outwards, as it were, and these are all carbon parts that we develop ourselves. In combination with the even wider fender edges, the car grows about thirty centimetres in width at the rear,” smiles HWA’s Chief Technical Officer. 270 or 300 km/h not thanks to a four-cylinder, but thanks to a V6 For the drive, HWA did not opt for a four-cylinder as with the original, which ‘only’ delivers 235 hp, because the performance had to increase considerably to match the extreme appearance. “After evaluating all the available options, it was clear to us that only a V6 could offer the perfect balance between low weight, compact dimensions and agile handling. We are using a Mercedes engine, but we are going to completely modify the V6 with two turbochargers for a standard power of at least 450 hp, 550 Nm of pulling power and a top speed of 270 km/h.” No existing wiring harness but newly developed With the optional Affalterbach sports package, the power increases to 500 hp and the Evo should reach a top speed of 300 km/h in combination with other gearbox ratios. HWA is also developing a completely new electronic architecture, including ESP and ABS, but also a new instrument cluster. “Of course, we are not using a wiring harness from a 190 or one from a modern existing Mercedes or AMG. We are really developing everything from scratch. We are using a dry sump for a lower position of the engine in the chassis and for better weight distribution, an equally new and manual six-speed gearbox will be placed in the rear of the car. This also requires modifications to the chassis, including an 80-millimetre extension of the wheelbase.” Manual shifting for an emotional driving experience According to Von Schöning, HWA is aiming for an analogue car with an emotional driving experience, which offers a lot of feedback. “That is why we find manual shifting crucial. Cars are far too comfortable these days. You don’t feel the gearbox, you hardly hear any sound and with electric cars they even become a kind of self-driving smartphone where you don’t have to do anything anymore.” One hundred units in the colour the buyer wants If we had to pigeonhole the HWA Evo, it would be difficult. Due to all the interventions, this project goes much further than tuning, but also further than the currently popular term restomod. In fact, HWA is building a completely new car that pays homage to the old 190 Evo II and only part of the existing chassis is reused. The latter is necessary, because in this way the car already has a license plate and no new type approval is required, with all the inspections and homologations that come with it. HWA is charging a price of €714,000 excluding taxes with a 30 percent deposit for the Evo, but that makes the modern variant considerably more exclusive than the original. “We will only produce 100 units, each fully customizable to the customer’s wishes. Our paint shop can offer any color and finish, including bespoke liveries.” The first cars are expected to be ready late next year. “We want to involve every customer in the building process to create a unique and personal experience. Customers can even attend the assembly of their own car and get inspiration for new ideas, resulting in cars that are absolutely unique.” According to von Schöning, the HWA EVO is just the beginning. “We are still looking for future projects with other manufacturers and partners. By demonstrating our expertise and technical capabilities, we hope to establish new partnerships and expand our portfolio. We believe there is a lot of potential for more models and projects that build on the success of the HWA EVO. We will always innovate and strive for perfection in everything we do.”
Source: www.autoweek.nl
