1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Pagoda

The Mercedes-Benz 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 quietly evolved from a nimble 'sports car' into a comfortable 'grand tourer' and was usually equipped with four-speed automatic transmission and air conditioning. The final evolution of the Pagoda was the 280SL, launched in November 1967 with a host of technical improvements, and is now seen as the most refined iteration of the W113 series. The robust new seven-bearing, 2778cc, M130 engine developed 170bhp and perfectly suited the automatic transmission. New one-piece wheel trims distinguished the last W113 but alloys were now an option. By the time production ceased in March 1971, some 23,885 had been made making the 280SL the most popular of all W113 variants. Offered here is an original right-hand drive, Mercedes-Benz 280SL first registered in the UK on 19th June 1969. The car presents really well in Tunis Beige Metallic paint with a Moss Green hardtop and when combined with the interior in Moss Green leather with Forest Green carpets, the result is striking. The early history of the car is unknown, but it was purchased in 1990 by a Miss I. Pritchard of South West London, who was to keep it until 1997 when it was sold to Mr. Benjamin of Brentford. In his care, the car was routinely maintained by M-B specialists, Pargan Autos in Ealing, with many bills for parts supplied directly from Mercedes-Benz, and along with the encouraging amount of invoices in the file are 13 previous MOT certificates corroborating the indicated mileage. Clearly, this Pagoda has been well looked after throughout its life and may have been resprayed at some point, although the quality of the shut lines and the overall condition of the car lead us to believe that it has never been fully dismantled.Supplied with a UK V5c and MOT tested until 22nd March 2018, this lovely 280SL Pagoda is now showing 88,880 miles on the odometer. All the qualities that made the Pagoda SLs so desirable in their heyday remain today - chic styling, Teutonic build quality, and wonderfully spirited driving. The 280SL has never gone out of fashion but interest - and values - have never been stronger than today.