- HWA is building 100 EVOs inspired by the legendary Mercedes 190E.
- A dedicated prototype completed tests by TÜV Süd for certification.
- Crash program included frontal impacts and steering intrusion checks.
HWA offered a fresh spin on a motorsport legend last year with its modern reinterpretation of the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 EVO II, aptly called the HWA EVO. Priced around $800,000 each, the car isn’t just a design homage but the product of a full-scale development program that mirrors what you’d expect from a major manufacturer.
And yes, this includes extensive crash testing, meaning one of these carbon fiber machines had to take the hit so that others could eventually make it into owners’ garages.
Read: HWA’s Mercedes 190E Thinks It Can Win The World’s Greatest Race
The German engineering outfit intends to build just 100 customer cars, supported by a handful of prototypes used for validation and certification. One such prototype recently underwent 60 individual tests carried out by the technical service provider TÜV Süd.
To meet safety requirements, a dedicated test vehicle was constructed for a series of impact trials, including a frontal collision at 50 km/h (31 mph) to measure steering column intrusion.
The EVO also completed acceleration tests in both directions and evaluations of the ISOFIX anchorage points to confirm their rigidity. Brake and emissions systems were examined as well, ensuring compliance with every relevant regulation.
“Our commitment to engineering excellence means subjecting our vehicles to the same rigorous standards we apply to our work with the world’s leading automotive manufacturers,” HWA’s chief technology officer Gordian von Schöning said.
“We have spared no expense in designing and developing the HWA EVO with the same approach as would be applied to a completely new car, and these impressive crash test results are a testament to that.”
Where Does It Go Next?
While the crash testing is out of the way, the EVO isn’t yet ready for customers. HWA continues dynamic trials at venues that include the Nürburgring, winter sessions in Northern Europe, and evaluation runs in Southern Spain.
The company also caught attention with a prototype entry at Italy’s Tutto Bene Hill Climb, while another car is making its way across North America, stopping at Lime Rock Park and the Concours of Highlands in Mt. Kisco, New York. The next stop is Las Vegas, where it will appear at SEMA.
There’s no word on how many build slots for the EVO are still open, but as of a few months ago, we’d been told that “most” of the 100 planned examples had been sold.
