As the baby-Benz of those days the Mercedes-Benz 190E (model W201) was a favourite tuning-object of many tuning companies. The car was relatively cheap and with all kinds of gadgets on it, it still would cost about the same as a top of the range Mercedes-Benz 500SEL.

Zender was one of the companies who tried to make the 190E, at that time Mercedes’ smallest car, the ultimate luxury car. On the outside the car received wide body fenders together with new front and rear bumpers and side skirts. The wide body gives the car a much thougher look with out going too extreme with Koenig-Specials like Testarossa fins. The side skirts have funny grooves that go the full lenght of the car. A large wing on the boot, the new Zender Turbo Wheels and the golden paintjob are finishing touches to the exterior of this luxury 190.

On the inside of the car we find a lavish interior with:

  • Full two-tone camel/brown leather upholstery
  • Fully electrically operated Recaro C-seats in the front
  • Special seats in the back which are heated
  • Zender steering wheel
  • Blaupunkt "Bamberg" Stereo in the dash
  • Blaupunkt "Heidelberg" Stereo for the rear passengers
  • Sennheiser headphones for the rear passengers

All in all only the rear legroom was something one could complain about sitting inthis car. Obvious luxury comes at a price. Let me show you the original 1983 prices:

 

Exterior Modifications

  • Zender body kit including wheels and tires 20.000 DM
  • Special SEC-style front grille including modified hood 3.500 DM
  • Wing mirrors painted in exterior color 120 DM

 

Interior Modifications

  • Zender Steering Wheel 318 DM
  • Recaro C-seats, each cost 1.500 DM
  • Heating for the seats 215 DM
  • Special head rests 60 DM
  • Zender bucket seats (to be installed in the rear) 4.350 DM
  • Leather upholstery for the complete Steering Wheel 425 DM
  • Leather upholstery for the dash 2.000 DM
  • Leather upholstery for the centre console 750 DM
  • Leather upholstery for the door panels and arm rests 2.950 DM
  • Leather upholstery for the seats 1.690 DM
  • Leather upholstery for the cealing, pilars and sun visors 3.045 DM
  • Re-model the rear parcel shelf and fit six high-end speakers 2.400 DM

All in all the total for this car (some prices are left out) is about 100.000 DM. Just for comparison one should know a regular 190E 2.0 costed 29.000 DM and an 500SEL about 75.000 DM. This car has really been working himself up the food chain...

 

 

 

The Zender Mercedes-Benz 190E Widebody. Typical features besides the widebody conversion are the grille with large Mercedes-star and the Zender rims.

 

 

 

A view of thecar's rear end. The Zender bootspoiler is one that was available for many cars.

 

 

 

 

A nice view of the nose with the large star

 

 

 

Whether this was before or after, I don't know, but this time the car is fitted with a standard 190E grille which has been painted in the car's color.

 

 

 

A camera crew rolling in such an expensive car? I guess not!!!

 

 

 

 

The interior was high-end stuff. Recaro CSE in the front covered in two tones of leather.

 

 

 

The Zender steering wheel. 

 

 

 

The back seats from Recaro with the console for the stereo in between them....

 

 

 

...and Sennheiser headphones!

 

Text: copyright Bram Corts 2009