I have owned many great Pagoda models over the years but think this example is undoubtedly the best. An original UK right hand drive 250 SL with hard and soft tops, automatic transmission and power steering, matching numbers and finished in its original lovely colour combination of Midnight Blue with Grey leather interior. It is in superb condition throughout having been fully restored by Kienle, the Mercedes specialists in Germany. The sheer integrity of the car, the factory correct detail and the way it drives shows that the car was worked upon by knowledgeable engineers at the top of their game.

The Pagoda was ordered new by a Mrs V Pryor from Mercedes Dealer, S G Smith of Crystal Palace, London and was registered and supplied following an initial service on the 16th June 1967, we know this as it is detailed in the original service booklet which remains on file. The car remained in the hands of the Pryor family until 2000, the car passing from mother to daughter in 1992. In these 33 years and 127, 000 miles the car was well maintained by Mercedes Benz dealers and specialists as detailed in service stamps and copious invoicing on file.

In 2000 a Mercedes enthusiast purchased the car and continued to look after it well for his three years of ownership using the highly esteemed Roger Edwards Motors for maintenance as detailed in invoicing.

The last owner had asked Roger Edwards to look out for a decent Pagoda for some time that he could use and enjoy that may require some future work. This 250 SL, the perfect candidate became available added to which it was his perfect colour combination and hence in 2003 he purchased it.

As planned, he drove and enjoyed it for a while but unable to scratch the itch of perfection he couldn?t help engaging with a few of the better-known Mercedes restoration company?s for their thoughts on returning the Pagoda to Ex-factory condition. Having visited each specialist and getting quotes from all, he chose Kienle Automobile Technik in Germany as the best people to make his Pagoda new again. To this end he drove it to Stuttgart and the restoration programme began.

The owner remained very much engaged with the work and visited Kienle four times during the transformation. A substantial restoration file fully documents the work completed with numerous photographs of every aspect and a jaw dropping set of invoices that details everything done. Upon arrival the 250 SL was fully inspected and confirmed to be of original specification in all respects. A complete strip down followed and then every component was evaluated and refurbished or replaced as required. The car was then fully assembled, painted and rebuilt as per factory specification. No compromises were made anywhere.

Following completion in August 2005 the owner drove his as new Pagoda back to the UK, completing a running in period in which 3, 000 post resto miles were completed before driving back to Kienle in April 2006 for a service and minor snagging issues.

Since then the car has enjoyed a quiet cosseted life in this same owners hands, the mileage rising to 13, 500 miles in the subsequent 18 years post restoration. It has victored in a number of Club Concours events and has been well maintained by a Mercedes Benz specialist, as before detailed in stamps in the Kienle post restoration service book and invoicing on file.

The Pagoda looks as fresh today as it would have when new or when rolling out of the Kienle factory gates 18 years ago, a real testament to the quality of the Kienle restoration and careful use of the car subsequently. No other Pagoda I have driven has the same level of mechanical integrity of this one and every detail from the way the doors shut in a vault like way with no secondary rattles to the paintwork trim and perfect fit of everything put this 250 SL in a different league.