1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Pagoda California Coupe

The Mercedes 280SL "Pagoda' was introduced in December 1967 and continued in production through until February 1971.The W113 was then replaced by its successor, the entirely new and substantially heavier R107 350SL. Over the years, the W113 evolved from a "sports car' into a comfortable "grand tourer', and was usually equipped with the 4-speed automatic transmission and air conditioning. The obvious change from its predecessor was the upgrade to the 2778cc M130 engine, which purists will tell you, finally gave the Pagoda adequate power. Now suitably refined, the car proved popular in the US market, however we've seen a significant increase in demand here in the UK, partly due to the 190SL rising beyond the budgets of many.This manual 280 SL Pagoda is a left-hand drive car that has recently been imported from the dry state of California. The odometer is reading a believed genuine 155,500 kilometres and when discovered by the vendor, it had been dry-stored for 16 years. More recently, the car has been bare-metal resprayed and the interior re-trimmed. The chrome is reported to be in unmarked condition and a full engine service will also be conducted prior to the sale. Recent bills and receipts total £8,000 of expenditure. This rare car is supplied with a hardtop, 'California' rear seat, spare wheel and service manual and is described by the vendor and "a very well looked after vehicle." Offered with a full year's MoT and all UK duties paid, this car is ready to be registered anywhere in Europe and offers and fantastic opportunity for sophisticated classic driving this summer.