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Even in this subtlest of subtle hues, the HWA EVO attracts more attention than just about any other car I can think of. A supercar with similar levels of aero excess might garner glances, but wedge shapes can also put plenty of people off. Somehow, because this is a saloon, people seem magnetically drawn to it like smiling moths ’round a solitary lightbulb in a gloomy room. It’s one of those cars for which it almost doesn’t matter how it drives; it’s a success just sitting still. But that thought would probably horrify the people behind it.

HWA might not be a set of letters that has the widespread recognition of AMG, but the A is the same in both. Aufrecht, in case you’re wondering. Hans Werner Aufrecht set up AMG along with Erhard Melcher (the M in AMG) in the mid-1960s, and when it was sold to Daimler thirty years later, Hans Werner decided to go again, but alone. Not that he moved very far, because if you go searching for the HWA HQ today, you’ll find it in Affalterbach surrounded by the seemingly ever-expanding AMG empire.

HWA Evo rear wing light fender flares verticalYouTube/Hagerty

There’s a reasonably impressive frontage to the building, but nonetheless I think few would guess at the depths that lie behind. HWA spent 20 years running the mighty Mercedes DTM program and building road cars such as the CLK GTR and SL65 AMG Black Series. It also has close links with Pagani and various other manufacturers that trust its wealth of expertise. So, when HWA decided to build its own car, complete with its own VIN, it was better equipped than most.

HWA Evo front three quarter actionYouTube/Hagerty

The HWA EVO is a modern incarnation of the famous Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo II, of which 502 were built for homologation purposes in the early 1990s. The connection to HWA is that it was Aufrecht who originally suggested the Evo II’s wild aerodynamic upgrades to Mercedes.

This new car uses a normal 190 as its starting point, but that is stripped back to the skinniest of skeletons before being married to an extensive new roll cage and new subframes. Overall, the length of the car remains the same but the wheelbase is extended by 50mm at the front and 30mm at the rear. Suspension is double wishbones all round with three-stage adaptive dampers.

HWA Evo front wheel tireYouTube/Hagerty

The engine choice is perhaps the most controversial part of the EVO, but really boils down to HWA’s desire to have the whole thing rubber-stamped for the latest EU homologation standards. I’m sure most people’s thoughts at first sight fly to some sort of V-8 and the associated soundtrack, whether it be the older, naturally-aspirated 6.2 or the newer 4.0-liter twin turbo. Still others, perhaps hankering for more authenticity, might think a four-cylinder, like the original, would be more appropriate. However, HWA has fitted the EVO with a twin-turbo V-6, specifically the Mercedes M276 engine, but with new turbos and internals to bring power up to 520hp and torque to 440lb ft. More authentic and definitely welcome is the fact that the engine is mated to a six-speed, H-pattern, manual gearbox.

HWA Evo interior shifter detail verticalYouTube/Hagerty

The car that I drove was prototype number six, and as you’d expect with a final-stage prototype, there were a few idiosyncrasies. The fundamentals, though, were very much what customers will experience. Initially, you might think the four-point harnesses are one of those idiosyncrasies, but actually, HWA has gone to great lengths to homologate the car with them, and they set a certain race-car tone as soon as you get in, which then extends throughout the experience.

It’s not that the EVO is a poor road car, far from it. Even with a little more NVH than will be present in the production cars, it was extremely habitable everywhere, from crawling through town following the Apple CarPlay to cruising along the autobahn at over 150mph. And in the latter situation, I can only imagine how cool it must have looked hammering along in the left lane.

HWA Evo rear action wideYouTube/Hagerty

Part of the reason that it’s easy across all situations is also something that had me a little concerned at first about its credentials as a driver’s car. The steering, although direct and precise, feels quite light. You quickly realize that you still have an immediate sense of connection with the car through the way it moves. Yes, I’d like a little more steering feel for when I’m not pushing the car hard, but the whole structure has a stiffness to it that lets you feel quite intimately the suspension at each corner, and the tires as soon as you load the sidewalls. Suddenly, the snug four-point harnesses make more sense, because you really want to feel part of the car.

HWA Evo interiorYouTube/Hagerty

The weight is higher than HWA would have liked at around 3260lb (1480kg), but the car feels lighter than that thanks to a very low center of gravity that manifests itself with very little roll. There is a suppleness to the damping that again means you have a constant sense of connection with the road, and HWA says it has worked hard on the camber compensation so that grip levels are sustained as the car leans in a corner.

All of this adds up to a tremendous sense of calm and confidence, even on tricky, bumpy, sporadically damp roads. You can ramp the dampers up to Sport and even into Track without the car feeling in any way ruffled, but you do need to be aware that the stability control also gets progressively dialled back with each of the three modes and is far looser than Bosch normally allows. Not that the EVO is a hard car to catch if it breaks loose, because the car feels so underneath you and predictable.

HWA Evo side blur panYouTube/Hagerty

The power delivery is interesting because it’s got a definite turbocharged character to it, yet the boost comes in smoothly enough that it’s easy to predict. It’s not an engine that likes to be at low revs, yet it tops out at 6500rpm, meaning you have a relatively small window to aim for when you’re trying to keep it on the boil on a back road. You need to change gear quite a lot, which is fun but also keeps you busy. Acoustically, there isn’t much to enjoy below 4000rpm, but above that threshold, there are valves in the exhaust system that open up and unleash a lot more volume and character. It’s quite gruff and gravelly but there is a definite purpose and edge to the soundtrack.

HWA Evo front three quarter actionYouTube/Hagerty

The end result is a package that certainly drives with enough conviction to live up to the looks, which is high praise. Although the EVO is going to appeal more to people who prioritize chassis and handling over engine, the way it goes about its business is sufficiently involving at all speeds that I think it makes a very compelling case for itself. It has enough usability to be a car that you’d reach for the keys of on a daily basis, but it’s also got all the hardware and know-how (not to mention the aesthetics) to make it feel special if you only end up taking it out occasionally.

But there is another layer to it as well, because if I were a potential customer with the requisite €814,000 plus taxes (an eye-watering $930K at today’s rates), I think I would be charmed by the company, too. HWA has not only the history and engineering credentials to back the build, but also a friendly, familial, inclusive feel to it. The fact that it has been somewhat under the radar until now only increases the almost cult appeal as far as I can see. And, excitingly, I don’t think this will be the last car we will see with an HWA VIN.

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty

HWA EvoYouTube/Hagerty