Apart from the original 300 SL ‘Gullwing’, the beautiful 280 SL ‘Pagoda’ is surely the definitive version of this long-running Mercedes-Benz sports car.
The final update for the W113 (1963-1971) SL, the 280 featured a larger 2.8-litre engine. At 1,360kg, it was arguably the last SL to live up to the ‘Sport Light’ name, too.
Technical specifications aside, the SL is primarily about glamour – and the Pagoda offers that in spades. It appears in numerous lists of the best-looking cars ever, including the Telegraph’s roundup of the 100 Most Stylish Cars of All Time.
The nickname ‘Pagoda’ comes from the car’s concave hard-top roof, which looks vaguely like the traditional East Asian tower of the same name.
There are been many famous Pagoda owners. Walt Disney and John Lennon both had one, and the cars were often owned by Mercedes-Benz racing drivers, including Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss and Nico Rosberg. This gleaming example, up for auction on Car & Classic, gives you a chance to add your name (whether famous or not) to that illustrious list.
Here, the car’s ageless design has been revitalised by an extensive restoration, including a full engine rebuild, making this perhaps the most complete Pagoda ever featured on the website.
Power steering and an automatic gearbox, plus the original hard-top and soft top, make this example very usable for comfortable cruising or weekend getaways. It even comes with the optional third seat.
For decades, the Mercedes-Benz SL has set a high bar for style, speed and serenity, and that has rarely been truer than with this near-perfect Pagoda.
Car & Classic’s auction for the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL, in association with Retro Motor, is now live – and runs until 7:15pm on 3 May 2023. Expect the winning bidder to pay between £140,000 and £160,000.
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