1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL (W113)

• UK-supplied with an automatic gearbox and registered on the 21/07/1969 to the first of four former keepers 
• Bought by our vendor on 14/07/1986 at 14,600 miles for £6,700, according to the accompanying Bill of Sale
• The car was sent to the then famed Dingles Mercedes-Benz classic car workshop in North Wales for a full restoration
• The detailed history file notes extensive OEM receipts, labour and trimming costs for the white leather interior at over £20,000 at 1987 prices!
• An engine failure led to the dispatch by Mercedes-Benz Stuttgart of the believed last new and unused 2.8-litre engine in stock
• Finished in Signal Red with white leather interior, black canvas hood, red hardtop and period 1980s Alpine stereo 
• With work commitments abroad, our vendor has used the car sparingly, covering some 10,000 miles since 1986
• Presented to auction with a detailed history file, including historical MOTs, the older restoration is in very fine order and the engine is barely run-in!

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 with the robust new seven-bearing, 2778cc, M130 engine developing 170bhp and perfectly suiting the automatic transmission.

Presented to auction with the aforementioned history file detailing the considerable sums expended during the late 1980s, a fresh MOT Certificate valid until 12th July 2022 and resplendent in Signal Red with Ivory leather, we welcome any inspection of this splendid little Pagoda.