1969 | Mercedes-Benz 280 SL

The Mercedes-Benz W113 SL was developed under the auspices of Mercedes-Benz Technical Director Fritz Nallinger, Chief Engineer Rudolf Uhlenhaut and Head of Styling, Friedrich Geiger. The lead designers were Paul Bracq and Béla Barényi who created its distinctive, patented, slightly concave hardtop which inspired the 'Pagoda' nickname. The model was manufactured from 1963 through to 1971 and boasted an in-line straight six-engine with multi-port fuel injection. The larger and more popular capacity 280 (2.8 litre) was introduced in 1967 and remained largely unchanged until 1971.

This 1969 registered 280 SL Pagoda is magnificent in every aspect. There are plenty of great marque specialists capable of carrying out exceptional work and then there is Hemmels. Their knowledge and attention to detail set the benchmark. This Pagoda was restored by them on behalf of a well-known racing driver and is now in the hands of a private collector. The restoration commenced towards the end of 2016 and took some 4,000 hours to complete. The delightful colour combination is as the car left the factory; Horizon Blue with navy blue leather interior. Mechanically no stone has been left unturned, the under-bonnet area certainly has the ‘wow’ factor. Look underneath the car and it is obvious this car has covered no miles since its restoration. It did in-fact sit in the foyer of Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge for a number of months on display. The current vendor has had the car in professional, de-humidified storage prior to his decision to sell. Such is his level of conscientiousness four new tyres have just been fitted and the car will be serviced and MoT’d prior to auction. Supplied with a good history folder showing previous owners in the US, a significant number of invoices and a V5 registration document. Rarely do we see cars that can be described as Museum quality, this Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda has certainly achieved that accolade. Consigned by Stewart Banks.