The 190 comes in 1956 as a complement to the further built 180, which now is sold cheaper. It combines the by now approved body with the new engine and the undercarriage of 190 SL. Due to the lower performance of 55 kW (75 hp) one can relinquish on some particularities of the SL-engine. This mainly concerns the complex, maintenance intensive and expensive carburetor equipment, but also the exhaust valves working without cooling sodium. You get an engine that manages well with any regular petrol and has almost the same torque at low rpm.

In the undercarriage area it is the single-joint swing axle, which ensures by a particularly low-lying hinge point less camber change during spring compression. From now on this axle will accompany all Mercedes models and not until 1968 will be replaced with the /8. The brake fading must be compensated for the time being by the cooling fins on the front duplex drum brakes. Analogous to the rims and wheel trim rings with openings fit, typically from now on for almost every side view of a Mercedes. There is already the brake booster, but only for petrol engines because the diesel lacks sufficient vacuum in the intake manifold. The skewing (particularly during the first braking) will be fixed just in later models by the introduction of the disc brake.

Perhaps even more important are the many small improvements which will benefit the car. The fine tuning is pretty good. It has for example more chromium. To the slightly larger lamps recently belong one for parking. Even the equipment is almost completely now with standard blower and an additional right door lock. The picture above contains subsequently mounted turn indicators what as a complement to the clunky, on the fender placed, happen more often in those days. Also the left mirror is not standard equipment, because not mandatory at that time. A headlamp flasher is not yet. It remains reserved to the faster successor.