You have probably heard it before, but if the Nürburgring 24 Hours is not on your bucket list yet, fix that. For 2026, there is another reason to make the trip. HWA AG is bringing three examples of its wild Evo.R to tackle the Green Hell.
Right from the start of the Evo project, HWA made it clear that one of these cars would take on the Nürburgring endurance classic in proper competition. It is about proving reliability, of course, but also about tipping a helmet to the original Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 and its tin top glory days in Germany and beyond. Think back to the opening race of the Nürburgring GP circuit more than four decades ago, famously won by Ayrton Senna in identical 190E 2.3-16 machinery. That legacy still carries weight. HWA initially planned to field two cars at the 24-hour race, but interest snowballed. Demand from drivers and partners has pushed the programme to three entries on the grid.
After appearing in demonstration form at last year’s race, the Evo.R trio will line up in the SP-X class in 2026. It is effectively the playground for the unusual and the hard to categorise, with past entrants ranging from boutique American specials to extreme GT derivatives. An overall victory is not the target here. Instead, expect these three to win over the crowd. Just look at them. Yellow headlamps, box-flared arches that look carved from a 1990s DTM poster, a towering rear wing, and retro liveries that tap straight into nostalgia. Power comes from a V6, so it should have the soundtrack to match the visual drama.
Driver line-ups will follow a Pro-Am format. Names already confirmed include Sebastian Asch and Luca Ludwig, sons of DTM heroes Roland Asch and Klaus Ludwig, both synonymous with the 190E Evo era. That connection alone adds a layer of meaning. Markus Winkelhock, a three-time Nürburgring 24 Hours winner, is also part of the effort. This is not a token appearance. HWA is clearly serious about its first full assault with a car wearing its own badge.
According to CEO Martin Marx, the Nürburgring has effectively been a second home for the company for over 25 years. Now, instead of running customer or partner machinery, it will compete in something it developed itself. Technical details are still under wraps for now, though more information is expected soon, along with testing footage from Portimão.
