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Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe

Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe

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Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe
Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe
Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe
Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe
Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe
Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe
Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 CoupeMercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe
Lot number 95
Hammer value £44,500
Description Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5-Litre V8 Coupe
Registration N/A
Year 1971
Colour Silver Metallic
Engine size 3,500 cc
Chassis No. 280SE002225
Documents US Certificate of Title; import documents; MOT June 2017 with no advisories

Launched in 1965, the W108 series S-Class saloon was the-top-of-the-range Mercedes of the late 1960s and early ‘70s.

Hailed by contemporary motoring journalists as the finest luxury car in the world, it was built to a standard that other manufacturers could only gasp at, setting a benchmark of engineering excellence that has not been surpassed to this day. Allied to this bank vault solidity was an aura of restrained Teutonic opulence that made it an instant hit with the diplomatic corps from Moscow to Mombasa.

Better still was the coupe version, a fantastically elegant pillarless design by Paul Bracq that was tailor-made for the artistic elite of the Swinging Sixties. The mix of chrome, wood and leather still oozes a cigars and champagne class that makes you feel like a film star every time you slip behind the wheel.

Initially available with a straight-six 2.8-litre engine (hence the 280 boot badge), this was soon deemed a little underpowered and for 1970 a 200bhp 3.5-litre V8 version was launched that gave it the go to match the show. Driving through a four-speed automatic gearbox, top speed was an impressive 130mph.

This 3.5 Coupe dates from 1971 and was imported from Florida in 2005 where it had reputedly had just one owner from new. The car is in lovely condition inside and out with excellent shut-lines and impressive silver coachwork. The black leather interior is virtually unmarked with magnificent Zebron woodwork, an expensive option at the time. It is fitted with an original Becker Europa radio and Behr air conditioning system, recently fully serviced and converted to UK gas specification.

The car has spent the last 10 years in storage as part of a large private collection and has never been UK registered although all duties have been paid. It is only reluctantly for sale due to imminent loss of storage. Recently recommissioned for sale including a full braking system overhaul with new brake discs all round and new handbrake shoes, the car is said to drive beautifully with an MOT until June 2017 with no advisories recorded. It ran like clockwork as we moved it around to take these photographs and the build quality is astounding – just try opening and closing those doors; they don't make them like that any more.

Only in production for two years during which time just 11,309 were made, the 3.5-litre Coupe is now rare and highly sought after with good ones thin on the ground. In April this year an 82,000 mile example that SCM magazine rated as ‘condition 2-‘ was sold at auction in Florida for $105,600 (£72,000). Excellent examples are already nudging the £100k mark and we can’t see them going down in value any time soon. So if you have ever lusted after one of these magnificent Coupes...

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