Star appeal
A highly original Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 might be intriguing enough to whip up some excitement in the collector car market, but that alone doesn’t justify the £220-250,000 ($295-335,000) pre-sale estimate attached to the example you see here.
Instead, what makes this Cosworth-tweaked 190E extra special is the story of its first keeper, Ayrton Senna da Silva.
Talking points
The future three-time Formula One champion bought this car new in the mid-1980s, and now it will cross the block in an RM Sotheby’s auction in London, UK, on 1 November 2025.
Why did Senna purchase a Mercedes when he raced for Lotus? And how did this car end up in Australia?
New wheels
Senna’s baby Benz wasn’t a company car.
In fact, the Brazilian driver – who made his F1 debut in 1984 – raced for the Renault-powered Lotus outfit in 1985, when he bought this W201 Mercedes.
So what was the reason behind this purchase?
A lot to celebrate
It likely had something to do with the 1984 Nürburgring Race of Champions.
The 12-lap competition marked the opening of the German track’s new Grand Prix layout and the launch of the Mercedes-Benz 190E.
Stellar line-up
The 20-strong grid featured no fewer than nine F1 champions, and everyone was given a lightly modified 190E 2.3-16 with which to compete.
Senna, who was just four races into his rookie F1 season, was not the favourite to win.
Ayrton’s arrival
That all changed when he qualified in third place, behind Carlos Reutemann and polesitter Alain Prost.
But could he convert his impressive one-lap pace into a podium finish?
Next generation
Despite stiff competition and poor weather, Senna triumphed in his Smoke Silver Metallic Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16, beating second-placed Niki Lauda to the chequered flag.
Juan Manuel Fangio presented Senna with the winner’s trophy.
Baby Benz like no other
The homologation-special 190E 2.3-16 must have impressed Senna, because he bought one for himself a year later – with a special discount from Mercedes-Benz, apparently.
Now that car (pictured) is for sale with RM Sotheby’s.
Collection day
Senna agreed to collect his brand-new Mercedes in person.
So, in October 1985, he departed his UK residence in Esher, Surrey, and travelled to Germany with friend and fellow racer Maurício Gugelmin.
The right receipts
When Senna disembarked the ferry back from Calais with his new wheels, he still had to pay import VAT and customs duty.
The car’s chunky history file includes all the paperwork, plus the original Vehicle Registration Document that proves Ayrton Senna was its first keeper.
Small differences
Senna’s own Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 differed slightly from his Race of Champions-winning car.
The latter was lightly modified (as were all 20 cars that competed) with a new exhaust system, beefed-up front brakes, a modified suspension set-up, wider wheels and more.
Common thread
But there’s one obvious similarity: both cars were finished in Smoke Silver Metallic.
The rather inconspicuous four-door does a good job of disguising its sporty mechanicals.
Under the bonnet
Other than a discreet bodykit, the Cosworth-tuned Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 looks very similar to the BMW 3 Series-rivalling saloon it’s based on.
But it’s got a twin-cam, 16-valve ‘four’ that makes 182bhp, a limited-slip differential, a close-ratio five-speed gearbox and more.
Step inside
This ex-Senna car is highly original and it still wears its understated, factory alloy wheels.
The black-leather cabin is in fantastic condition, too – and note the unopened first-aid kit and period Becker stereo.
Well-loved Mercedes
Before Senna signed with McLaren for the 1988 F1 season, he sold this Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 to Robin Clark, who was a friend of his manager.
The car had 24,862 miles on the clock at the end of Senna’s two-year ownership.
The McLaren days
Senna’s move to McLaren was well timed.
The Woking team’s Honda-powered MP4/4 won 15 out of 16 races in 1988, the same year Senna claimed his first drivers’ title.
He beat teammate Alain Prost by just three points.
Globetrotter
The current owner acquired Senna’s Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 in 1996.
When they emigrated to Australia in 2004, they took this car with them, at which point its air-conditioning unit had to be removed to comply with the country’s import laws.
For the record
According to RM Sotheby’s, the Mercedes has been well cared for Down Under.
The sale includes plenty of invoices and receipts that document the car’s history, from its days with Ayrton Senna to recent services and maintenance work.
Special connection
This Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 was displayed at the 2016 Australian Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton was photographed with it and Niki Lauda – who raced against Senna in the 1984 Nürburgring Race of Champions – signed the engine bay.
What next for Senna’s Mercedes?
Now with 154,302 miles on the clock, this Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 first owned by Ayrton Senna is ready for its next chapter.
RM Sotheby’s reckons a £220-250,000 ($295-335,000) bid will be required to secure it.
We’ll have to wait and see what it achieves when it goes under the hammer at The Peninsula London in the UK’s capital city on 1 November 2025.
Click here to find out more about it.