Highlights

Nut and Bolt restoration completed in 2024/25
Comprehensive history file dates as far back as 1982
Matching numbers engine and gearbox confirmed by Mercedes-Benz data card
Driven by Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear - Video available on youtube (link below)
Restored by the same specialist whose work won best in class at the London Concours in 2025
Voluntary MOT valid until June 2027 with no advisories
Right-hand drive UK market example

The Appeal

There's a reason the W113 'Pagoda' never goes out of fashion. That distinctive concave hardtop, the source of its nickname, wasn't just a styling flourish; Béla Barényi engineered it to flex the odds of rollover safety in your favour, all while looking like nothing else on the road. Six decades on, Paul Bracq's clean-lined design still feels startlingly modern, a masterclass in restraint at a time when chrome and excess ruled. Mercedes' famous over-engineering means these things start, stop, and cruise with a reassuring solidity that belies their age. It's a car built for top-down blasts along coastal roads as much as concours lawns.

This UK-supplied right-hand drive 1969 example has undergone a no-expense-spared restoration completed in 2024/25 by a European Mercedes-Benz specialist. The pedigree of the restorer is well established: the vendor's other 280SL, restored by the same company, won best in its class at the London Concours in 2025. Every major mechanical component has been rebuilt or replaced, from the engine and fuel injection system to the automatic transmission, steering, brakes, and drivetrain, while the car retains its matching-numbers engine and gearbox, as verified against the Mercedes-Benz data card.

We encourage you to study the photographs, not merely to satisfy yourself of this car's condition but to revel in just how good it is. Just look at that underside... The vendor describes both the exterior and interior as in "10/10 condition", and the car also has a fascinating piece of television provenance: it was driven by Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear, video still viewable on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?is=hkLRNqeeIxsBnDCq&v=6bmKqjoXB78&feature=youtu.be

History and Paperwork

UK-market, right-hand-drive car first registered in 1969
Retaining a thoroughly kept history file including old invoices and MOT's dating as far back as 1982
Previously driven by Jeremy Clarkson a number of years ago on Top Gear
Registration 'CYY 159G', to be returned to the vehicle when the current private plate is retained by the vendor
Comprehensive restoration completed in 2024/25 by a specialist European Mercedes-Benz restoration company
Odometer replaced during restoration; currently showing 110 miles
Around 500 additional running in and shakedown test miles have been done prior to fitment of the current odometer

The Condition

Finished in DB396 Medium Metallic Blue
'Cream Tanned 209' leather interior with cream 6434 carpets
Blue soft top
Tinted glass hardtop with chrome ski rack rails
Original MB chrome fuel cap with MB star
Becker radio fitted
Michelin MXV-P tyres

Wow. You'd be hard-pushed to find a W113 nearly so good as this, even those freshly restored by some of the most reputable names in the business. The finish is superb; even the underside has been restored to an impeccable standard, shown off in body colour rather than the typical thick coat of black underseal that hides a multitude of sins. Up on top, all is equally fine, with straight bodywork, well-fitting doors, and period-style Michelin MXV-P tyres. The soft top appears very well-fitting, and the car comes with its innovative 'Pagoda' hardtop. Inside, the upholstery has been retrimmed to an equally exacting standard, and the under-bonnet presentation is as clean as one could wish for. Consider us deeply envious of the next owner.

The Mechanics

2.8-litre inline six-cylinder engine
Four-speed automatic transmission
Matching numbers engine, gearbox and other components as per the Mercedes-Benz data card
Major components rebuilt or replaced during restoration, including the engine, fuel injection system, fuel pump, automatic transmission, steering box and pump, braking system and drivetrain
Mechatronik springs kit and Bilstein shock absorbers fitted

The 280 sits atop the W113 SL range; the largest engine fitted to the model, ideal for grand touring. This example has undergone an extensive mechanical rebuild and is reported to run and drive exceedingly well. The 110 indicated miles reportedly reflect the distance covered since completion of the restoration, so it has been nicely run in while still used very sparingly, preserving its enviable condition. An advisory-free voluntary MOT adds further reassurance.

BEFORE YOU BUY

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