Falken Mercedes EVO II Dominates Essen Show

This year’s Essen Motor Show didn’t disappoint. Among the new kids on the block and the usual suspects, one car stood out like a neon sign in a sea of chrome: a jaw-dropping Mercedes-Benz 190E that’s been making waves online for months. So now I finally had the possibility to take a closer look at this build and see all the details that make this car special.

The starting point was a humble 1991 190E. But owner Nic Stubbs didn’t just restore it, he transformed it into a full-blown EVO II tribute, complete with the iconic Falken livery. Under the bonnet sits a snarling V8 M113 engine, nestled in a meticulously cleaned and painted bay.

Suspension? Air ride, of course, paired with adjustable XLO dampers, camber tops, bespoke air bags, and custom control arms. The trunk houses the compressor and air tank in a show-ready install.

The Ultimate Ford Escort Cosworth by RS-Tuning

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth shouldn’t need an introduction. If, like me, you’ve been obsessed with cars for as long as you can remember, this rally-bred legend has, at some point, held a firm spot in your top three must-own cars. Fast forward to 2025, and prices are only heading in one direction—up. A well-kept example will now set you back a cool €80,000. Those who got in before the hype? Sitting pretty.

But here’s the thing some people don’t care about the skyrocketing values. Some people just want to build their perfect version of an all-time great. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of passion I respect.

Enter Árpád Lakatos of RS-Tuning in Hungary. In his eyes, he’s created the ultimate Escort RS Cosworth. And looking at the result, it’s hard to argue. The first thing that grabs you is the stance—the car sits impossibly low, thanks to a fully custom-built airride setup. No off-the-shelf system exists for this car, so Árpád and his team had to develop their own, opting for a Grinds air management system to control it all.

The Levella Mercedes Benz 190e x C32 AMG

The Mercedes Benz 190e 2.5-16V EVO 2. They seem to pop up quite frequently, but you won’t find one for less than $250,000, at least according to Bring a Trailer. The latest auction on there was on March 13th, and the highest bid reached a whopping $370,000, which still wasn’t enough for the seller.

Now, onto this particular specimen from Levella, a wheel manufacturer in Germany. With the increasing demand for the Mercedes Benz 190e 2.5-16V EVO 2, it’s no surprise that replicas are hitting the market. You can now even buy a full EVO 2 body kit for your standard 190e. I’m not sure if that’s the case here, but what I do know is that you won’t find the 4-cylinder 2.5-16V engine under the hood. Instead, there’s a 3.2-liter V6 sourced from a much newer C32 AMG.