What is the difference between a Mercedes 190 and 190e?

Answer 1

The "e" designation indicates the engine is "fuel injected" and is from the German word for fuel injection, "einspritzen", which literally means "in spray." The MB 190 sans "e" had a carburetor.

The less rational and more confusing designation is the 190. In Europe it indicated the car had a four cylinder engine with a displacement of 1.9 liters, about 116 cubic inches.

In the US. this was the model designation for the first "Compact" MB, but most of the cars actually came equipped with four cylinder engine of 2.3 liters displacement, about 151 cubic inches because our then current smog laws rendered all engines relatively gutless by the late 70's and early 80's.

Sometime in the 90's MB changed their model/engine designation system. They had three clases of sedans: Compact, C class, Intermediate, E class and Huge, S class. The numbers following indicated engine dislplacement. Now the system has gotten way complex again so that the same letter can mean different things depending where it is placed. For example an SLK is a two seat sports car to compete against the Porsche Boxster and BMW Z4. A car with 350K designation has a V6 engine of 3.5 liters displacement with a Kompressor, meaning "supercharger". And yes, I do believe there is an SLK350K. Aren't you glad you asked? And no I don't have a life; that's why I know stuff like this. JHS

cra_arc says

well that's sort of correct

mmmn well this is true as far as the difference between 190 and 190e is concerned.

but in most of Europe most 190`s were either 1.8 or 2 liter in the UK market very few 2.3 8v petrol engined variants were introduced ( NAM version were many more)

there were however 2.3 and 2.5 16v variants and a 2.6l 6 cyl and specialist 3.6 12 and a very few 24v variants of the w201.

not counting the diesel version.