The first customer-ready HWA EVO has officially been delivered, marking the start of production for the ultra-limited performance car. Chassis #001 now shares a collection with chassis #001 of the legendary Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II, bringing the original homologation icon and its modern interpretation together under one roof.
HWA EVO Honors the Mercedes-Benz 190E Evolution II
The Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II remains one of the rarest performance models ever produced by Mercedes-Benz. Built as a DTM homologation special, only 502 road cars were manufactured, making it one of the brand’s most sought-after collector vehicles.
Inspired by that legacy, HWA created the HWA EVO as a modern interpretation of the original model. HWA was founded by Hans-Werner Aufrecht—the “A” in AMG—and has spent decades building Mercedes race cars.
According to HWA, the first HWA EVO, priced at $760,000, has been delivered to a collector who also owns chassis #001 of the original 190E Evolution II.
Chassis #001 Joins the Loh Collection
HWA delivered chassis #001 to Prof. Dr. Friedhelm Loh at Germany’s Nationales Automuseum, where it has become part of the Loh Collection.
The museum already displays the original Mercedes-Benz 190E Evolution II chassis #001 and chassis #500. The newly delivered HWA EVO now joins those vehicles in the collection.
Finished in the same Blue-Black Metallic paint as the original Evolution II, the first HWA EVO serves as both a tribute to its predecessor and the beginning of customer deliveries for the limited-production model.
Modern Engineering Inspired by a Classic
Although the HWA EVO begins with a Mercedes 190E body shell, HWA extensively reengineers the vehicle. According to the company, only a small portion of the original body remains after the transformation.
The chassis is reinforced with aluminum and high-strength steel before receiving carbon-fiber body panels, resulting in a structure that is both stiffer and wider than the original model.
Power comes from a reworked twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Mercedes V6 engine. HWA disassembles and balances each engine, adds a dry-sump lubrication system, and installs its own engine management software.
The standard version produces 444 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. Buyers who choose the Affalterbach Package receive an upgraded output of 493 horsepower.
The HWA EVO also features a six-speed manual transaxle, race-inspired suspension, nearly perfect 50:50 weight distribution, and digital gauges designed to pay tribute to the original Evolution II.
Prototype and Race Car Added to the Museum
The delivery ceremony also included Prototype PT01, the development vehicle used throughout much of the HWA EVO program before appearing at the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
Prototype PT01 has also been added to the Loh Collection alongside the HWA EVO R, the track-focused version that competed in the 2026 Nürburgring 24 Hours and is now available for customers as a dedicated track car.
Production of the Limited-Run HWA EVO Begins
The handover of chassis #001 officially launches production after approximately two years of development following the HWA EVO’s public debut in 2023.
HWA said chassis #002 has already been delivered to the company’s primary shareholder, Willibald Dörflinger, as customer deliveries continue from Affalterbach.
Production will remain highly exclusive, with only 100 road-going HWA EVO models scheduled to be built. Each vehicle will be assembled largely by hand using the company’s motorsport expertise.
HWA also said the road-going EVO served as the foundation for the HWA EVO R, requiring only limited modifications to become a competition-ready race car because it was engineered for motorsport from the beginning.
Exhibition Brings Both Generations Together
Visitors to Germany’s Nationales Automuseum can now view the original Mercedes-Benz 190E Evolution II alongside the modern HWA EVO. The special exhibition also includes Prototype PT01, the HWA EVO R race car, the original Evolution II models, and Klaus Ludwig’s 1992 DTM championship-winning Mercedes, bringing together multiple chapters of the Evolution legacy in a single collection.
