1981 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Manual

• Finished in Champagne Gold with black MB-Tex and grey check cloth. Matching Factory Hardtop
• The indicated mileage of 34,283 is corroborated by MOTs back to 1989
• Recommissioned January 2020 following eight-years dry storage. New battery, tyres fuel pump, fluids, filters, brake service
• Uprated period stereo. Original Becker unit remains with the car accompanied by operators manual
• Good history file, original book pack with stamped Maintenance Records, older V5s, maintenance invoices from Stratton Wilmslow etc.
• Just 3,000 miles in the last 30 years. Current MOT valid until 27/11/2021 with No Advisories

Some cars just get better looking with age and the R107 Series Mercedes-Benz SL is definitely among them. Overshadowed for a long time by its graceful ‘Pagoda' predecessor, it's now becoming better appreciated for what it is - a beautifully built sports roadster that is totally dependable. To this day, no car door closes with a more reassuring ‘thunk' than a Mercedes SL, and everything about the car suggests solid engineering.

Fast, comfortable and discreetly understated, the SL has a matchless ability to munch up the miles for year after year without ever seeming to falter. No wonder it stayed in production, fundamentally unaltered, from 1971 until 1989 - the longest production run of any Mercedes car to date.

Powered by a fuel-injected, straight-six displacing 2,746cc and producing 182bhp, the 280SL continued in production until September 1985 when it was replaced by the 300SL which differed little apart from a slightly larger engine

This, head-turning, 1981, 280SL appears to have been first registered overseas and we would guess was collected from the factory as the service book states (in German) that the PDI was completed on 21/07/1981. A couple of months later it was UK registered and subsequently sold to Leo Hall in November 1981 before being transferred to his wife, Pauline, on 3/11/1983.

Lightly used for many years and in dry storage from 2012 until 2020 the cars was recommissioned in January 2020 with a new battery, tyres fuel pump, fluids, filters, and a brake service. The indicated mileage of 34,283 is corroborated by MOTs back to 1989 which also confirm that the SL has covered just 3,000 miles in the last 30 years. The current MOT is valid until 27th November 2021 with ‘No Advisories’.

Although delightfully original, it’s fitted with an uprated Blaupunkt stereo but the original Becker unit remains with the car and is accompanied by its operator’s manual. The history file is informative and, in addition to the old MOTs, has earlier V5s, the original book pack with stamped Service Records, and maintenance invoices from Stratton Wilmslow etc.

A manual gearbox was a rare option for the 280SL in the UK which may be why the car’s original owner chose to source it in Germany and consequently they are very rare over here which is a shame as the 'cammy' 2.8-litre and the four-speed manual box offer a much more spritely and sporting drive all round. Highly recommended.