Jay Leno has pretty much driven everything. From steam-powered antiques to multi‑million‑dollar hypercars and even obscure prototypes few have ever seen, his garage has seen more variety than most museums. Yet there’s been one significant omission on his bucket list: the Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II.
At last, after years of anticipation, the Evo II made its way into Jay Leno’s Garage—and for car fans, it was a moment worth celebrating.
To understand why this car matters, we need to go back to the early 1990s, when Germany’s DTM touring car championship was at its peak. Mercedes wasn’t about to let BMW and the iconic E30 M3 hog the spotlight. Their response? The Evo II—bold, aggressive, and built with one mission: winning on the track.
This wasn’t just another executive sedan. Mercedes produced 502 units for homologation purposes, equipping them with dramatic fender flares, aerodynamic bodywork, and that now‑legendary rear wing. Underneath the hood sat a reworked 2.5‑liter, four‑cylinder engine churning out 235 horsepower—serious numbers for the time. With chassis tweaks drawn from racing tech, it was essentially a four‑door that doubled as a track weapon.
Today, the Evo II is one of the most sought‑after collector cars. With such limited production, finding one is already difficult—and if you do, expect values comfortably over $300,000. No wonder Jay Leno had been dreaming of a proper drive for years.
When Jay finally takes the wheel, his reaction is equal parts car historian and wide‑eyed enthusiast. The Evo II feels far more raw and race‑bred than most expect from a Mercedes. Unlike today’s heavily digitized performance sedans, this one is intensely analog—direct steering, mechanical responses, and no electronic safety nets to sanitize the experience.
Yes, the gearbox feels dated and, no, there are no adaptive suspension settings. But that’s what makes it special. The car comes alive in your hands, reminding drivers of a time when feedback mattered more than gadgets.
That massive wing deserves its own mention. In the early ‘90s, it seemed outrageous—even cartoonish. But today it’s considered iconic. Without it, the Evo II wouldn’t have the same identity; it perfectly captures the era’s fearless engineering spirit.
Driving this car today is a reminder of when Mercedes was willing to take risks. Before AMG became synonymous with leather, luxury, and horsepower paired with modern conveniences, there was this unfiltered, touring‑car‑inspired sedan. The Evo II showed Mercedes at its boldest and most rebellious—a pure racing machine disguised as a road car.
And now, decades later, Jay Leno has finally experienced that wild vision firsthand.
👉 What do you think? Does the Mercedes-Benz 190 E Evo II remain the ultimate DTM hero, or does BMW’s E30 M3 Sport Evo still wear the crown?