1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Pagoda (W113)

Offered here at the Silverstone Festival 2023 is a beautiful Mercedes-Benz 280SL Pagoda that has been cherished since it was purchased from a specialist Mercedes-Benz dealer in Paris almost 40-years ago. Rachel Riley, at the time, was a fashion model and, sometime after falling hopelessly in love with a young Parisian photographer, they decided to purchase a smart 280SL to enjoy one of Europe’s most romantic cities together. When the couple re located to London, the Pagoda naturally came with them and since then has been meticulously maintained by the same specialist workshop.

Finished to European-specification in left-hand drive, this beautiful, manual gearbox 280SL is presented in arguably the most ‘en vogue’ colour combination of silver metallic with a burgundy leather interior with matching carpets and a black hood. The SL retains many carefully-preserved features including the indentations on the front wings that are, more often than not, lost in careless body restorations. It starts on-the-button and is described as performing very well thanks to regular attention from the dedicated local specialists who have been entrusted with its maintenance since it arrived here.

It’s accompanied by its body-coloured, factory hard top and supplied with a history file which contains old French paperwork, the current V5C and UK-registration paperwork ready for transfer or export, and a wealth of invoices outlining its fastidious maintenance from its long-term specialists.

Nowadays, Rachel Riley is a globally renowned, award-winning children’s fashion designer who finds herself spending more time in her beautiful garden than behind the wheel of the Pagoda, and consequently the time has come to find her beloved SL a new home. This is a great opportunity to take ownership of this delightful classic Mercedes-Benz.