Spotted: Mercedes-Benz 190E and Opel Ascona

It still happens sometimes in foreign countries: you walk down a side street and suddenly it’s like taking a step back in time. Such a side street is then filled with cars that have long since disappeared from the everyday street scene in the Netherlands. If it is then also a street with older architecture, the period image is complete. Such a situation is rare in the Netherlands because of our modern fleet of vehicles, yet our colleague Max came pretty close the other day in Amersfoort.

1992 Mercedes-Benz 190E 1.8

On a street in Amersfoort, he came across this cute duo. On the left, we see a 1992 Mercedes-Benz 190E 1.8. So a late copy, but an original Dutch one. The current owner has been driving it around since last summer. Still encounter such a Mercedes-Benz W201 with some regularity, but that cannot be put from the other half of the duo.

1978 Opel Ascona 1.9

That’s a 1978 Opel Ascona 1.9. Also already original Dutch and with the current owner since last summer. Once quite a popular car, the Ascona has long since disappeared from the everyday street scene. Even at events, you actually see them very rarely. All the more fun to come across one now, especially in such a nice everyday version.

Back in time

In this case, even the environment cooperates in stepping back in time. Not only does the apartment have typical 1970s/80s architecture, even the gable sign of the family doctor on the corner has a historically accurate design. It is really only details that betray that these photos were not taken around 1990. Nice!