EU Market Find: 1992 Mercedes 190 E Avantgarde azzurro

What: 1992 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3 Sportline Avantgarde azzurro
Color: Azzurro Blue (azzurroblau; metallic UNI; 366; Mercedes-Benz)
VIN: Unknown
Mileage: 130,100 km / 80,840 miles
Price at Time of this Writing: €15,000
CarFax: N/A
Window Sticker: N/A
Location: Private Seller, Münich, Germany
Listing: Link

Why We Love It:

One of several cars built in Mercedes-Benz Avantgarde series of W201 190 Es, the 190 E Avantgarde Azzurro is a unique thing indeed. With DTM-harkening 190 EVOs making anything W201 even more interesting, the azzurro and all its 90s German kitsch offer a more unique approach to the package.

Perhaps inspired by other market offerings such as the Volkswagen Color Concept cars, or Wolfsburg’s even more radically quirky Harlequin models, the Avantgardes utilized color in order to dial up the fun factor of a then aging W201 range.

The most notable differences on the Avantgarde azzurro is the use of color. For starters, its Azzurro Blue metallic paint was unique to the Avantgarde offering. Then, much like the Harlequin, it artfully incorporated multiple colors in trim on the seats, big-bolstered rear individual seating, the floor mats, the shift knob and the steering wheel. More substantively for drivers, it also got Mercedes’ Sportline suspension that was 20% stiffer and 23 mm lower than run-of-the-mill 190s.

Only 950 azzurro models were built, though it was their quite literal avant-garde nature that likely played into Mercedes’ choice to not sell the cars in the U.S.A. Fortunately, they’re now old enough for import and this clean and preserved example has just come on the market near Münich, listed for sale by an individual.

This is one of our Euro market finds, so the usual caveats apply for our primarily North American readership. For Europe and other markets, we focus on cars older than 25 years, meaning a relatively easy import into the USA. This is often done by working with firms such as our friends at Orchid Euro, you can have the car purchased, transported to port, shipped to America and cleared through customs for clients seeking this sort of service.