Mercedes-Benz 190E 1.8 LE

Launched in 1982, the 190 was the most affordable model in the marque's history. Over £600 million was spent researching and developing this car with Mercedes acutely aware that a failure of such an entry level model could easily bring down the rest of the range and the entire company’s reputation.The 190 was available with airbags, ABS brakes, seatbelt tensioners and other advanced safety features and is now regarded as one of the best Mercedes-Benz cars ever made. It was finally replaced by the much less impressive C-Class in 1993.

This prime example dates from 1993 and was purchased via Hills of Shrewsbury. It has remained in the same family from new, having been passed to the original owner's wife in 2004. Ordered to LE spec, this 1.8-litre model was packaged to nip in under the £19,250 company car tax break, a fact outlined in protracted detail in the accompanying Mercedes-Benz brochure. The LE featured a choice of metallic colours, this one being specified in Rosso Red with ABS brakes, a 4-speed automatic gearbox, front and rear electric windows, an electric sunroof, burr walnut trim, a Blaupunkt radio and 8-hole alloy wheels.

The service book shows 11 services to 45,000 miles, the odometer now showing just over 70,000, an average of well under 4,000 miles a year since new. MOTd until April 2013 and complete with a spare key, this very smart 190 drives beautifully, whilst the interior and exterior are remarkably clean and fresh. These handsome and well-engineered cars are so competent in all departments that one questions the need to buy anything more modern at all.