HWA AG, Mercedes’ motorsport partner, is returning to the track in 2026 with its own model—the HWA EVO—based on the street-legal HWA EVO production version.
The HWA EVO is a restomod built on the legendary Mercedes 190E EVO II and will be produced in a limited run of just 100 units. The HWA EVO was designed for the road and provides a solid foundation for a racing version. In the case of the HWA EVO, the transition from road to track is much shorter than usual.
With the development of the road car now complete, HWA is focusing on creating a special track-oriented version that will compete in the SP-X class at the 24-hour Nürburgring race in 2026. Two cars will participate in the race, with specific modifications to performance, weight, and safety systems, details of which will be announced later.
As Mercedes’ motorsport partner, HWA brings extensive experience in racing.
“Motorsport is in our DNA—and therefore also in the DNA of the HWA EVO. Being the first road car to bear the HWA name, it was clear to us that we had to further develop the project in line with this heritage,” said Martin Marx, CEO of HWA.
Prototypes of the road car completed demonstration laps during the 24-hour Nürburgring race week on June 21–22, 2025, as part of an extensive testing program.
Drivers Roland Asch and Klaus Ludwig, who piloted the road car prototypes during this year’s demonstration laps, will be involved in the testing and development of the race version on the Nordschleife. The race drivers will be announced in due course, and entries will be managed by a dedicated HWA technical team, made up of mechanics and crew members with experience in DTM and other motorsport series.
The HWA EVO race car will run on Hankook tires, with Hankook as one of the team’s partners, alongside other sponsors.
Klaus Ludwig won two DTM titles in 1992 and 1993, with the 1992 title earned behind the wheel of a Mercedes 190E Evo II. Since 2000, the HWA Team has won 8 DTM titles, four of which were with Bernd Schneider at the wheel.