A legendary fixture in the classic car world, the W113 is one of the most coveted classics in the world of top-down motoring. It's an appeal that endures to this day, proudly sporting glamorous looks and a build quality that continues to impress. Combine that with excellent handling and it's no wonder that the car is so desirable. Penned by the legendary designer Paul Bracq, this quintessential 60’s roadster, with its Pagoda shaped hard top, quickly became an icon and favourite of the rich & famous. 

It is still much sought after, particularly the top of the range 280SL. With its elegant lines and silky smooth injected M130 straight six engine which boasts plenty of power and suits the car’s luxurious grand touring nature. All round disc brakes and even a crumple zone showcases how far ahead of its time this legendary car was.

Which brings us to this superb example, an automatic UK RHD 280SL, which has always been the one to have. This rather special matching numbers example drives and presents beautifully, resplendent in factory correct Silver Grey metallic (180) over Dark Blue leather (245) and finished with a Dark Blue Hood, a colour combination many W113 afficionados believe to be the most desirable. Having spent a good few hours photographing the car we would not argue with the claim! 

The vendor craves originality and other than electronic 123 ignition has not strayed from factory at all. 

Supplied new by County Garage in Cheltenham, Mercedes-Benz dealers, in April 1969. The service history is very good and shows that the car has been maintained relatively consistently to a high standard from new. Its most recent services have been carried out by Colin Ferns, renowned Mercedes specialists in Richmond. The most recent service being under 100 miles ago.

The restoration work has been preserved in photographs as you can see and there is a recent invoice for £62000 to cover this. The vendor has only used the best during this process including all new walnut wood from Silvercrest, D-Class for the seats and new hood, KHM for the factory correct twin loop carpets throughout, Benchmark for interior secondary trim, SL Shop for all new rubber seals, Roger Edwards for sundry works, original Mercedes-Benz OEM fuel tank, front wings and scuttle, Boyd Cooper for welding and bare metal respray with Colin Ferns renewing the fuel system, servicing the car and fitting 123 electronic ignition. 

The V5 is in the vendors name and shows the matching chassis and engine numbers. The leather folder contains all the manuals, as well as all the original paperwork, and the stamped service history book. 

 

Sharp lines and a timeless character are fixtures of the W113's popularity, and as an ambassador for the model, this car is wonderfully true. Finished in Silver Grey - one of the most desirable and elegant colours for the Pagoda - the external presentation of this car is immaculate, having had a recent bare metal respray, we would expect this. The subtle alignment notches by the headlamps are present and correct. 

To sweeten the deal, the car comes complete with its hard top, which looks to be in very good original condition - it even features a newly veneered walnut bow around the rear screen as per factory.

This continues across the chrome work, which is very brightly presented, the vendor states he has only had re chrome the front bumper. Headlight lenses and glass all appear to be clean and fracture-free. The soft-top is also in as new condition. 

Underneath, the car appears to have benefited from being kept clean and dry - we can't discern any signs of corrosion or reason for concern. We have been told the car has just been wax oiled which is reassuring to know.

 Nestling into its factory leather seating, this W113 feels like a timewarp. From the subtle walnut wood trims to the colour coded dash and door cards, the lovely interior of this car transports you back to a more glamorous time. 

The seats are in fabulous condition, as they should be having just been finished by D-Class. The carpets across the board are as per factory and new, with no marks or discolouration, and a glance underneath those in the front reveals a clean and rust-free floorpan. The stylish wood veneer on the dash and centre section looks wonderful, as you would expect from craftsmen such as Silvercres, with all of the dials and switches appearing clean and easy to read. 

To complete the authentic timewarp experience, the car even boasts a factory period correct Becker radio updated with Bluetooth so the lines of the car were not ruined by a tall aerial.  The boot is in excellent order with its original rubber mat in situ - there is an original jack, wheel brace and spare wheel. The tool-roll and tools are also present in excellent order. 

Ultimately, this is a superb example of the W113. 

This car was restored, from the outset to be a drivers car, not just a trailer queen. To this end emphasis was put on making sure it was reliable and ran properly. The entire fuel system and tank were renewed with electronic ignition fitted to ensure reliability. The car starts on first turn of the key, gear changes are smooth and quiet, and the engine sounds lovely. Having just been given a full service this is not surprising. 

The vendor assures us that it drives as well as it looks. With its modest mileage and that reassuring service history, in addition to the W113’s reputation for longevity and reliability, the car should offer many more years of trouble-free motoring. Open the bonnet and, again, it’s difficult to believe the car’s age. The engine looks reassuringly original without the superficial chroming which we see so much of in restored cars these days. 

Aside from a modern battery everything looks much as it must have done when new. Colin Ferns has just calibrated the throttle assembly to optimise the running and this has made a great running car even better! 

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