Descrição
This special car is a rare Mercedes 250SL, the rarest of all Mercedes Pagodas. Built in April 1967, it is a true unicorn Pagoda, produced in a very short space of time in early 1967, when Mercedes combined the aesthetic and sporting dynamics of the earlier 230SL with the significant mechanical advances of the later 280SL. From the elegant arch of its tilting rear-view mirror to the plain red rear lights, this first 250SL retained the aesthetic brilliance of Paul Bracq's original design. Also missing from the later 250SL and 280SL, but retained in this car, are typical 60s design elements such as the honeycomb seats, moulded cubbyholes, red and blue control levers, woven carpet and interior chrome accents. The first 250SL also retained the more dynamic suspension of the 230SL, which better embodied its Super Leicht or Super Light SL credentials in competition. However, being a 250SL, this car benefits from the considerable mechanical improvements of the later 280SL. The 7 main bearing engine, larger oil cooler and disc brakes on all sides greatly improved the 230SL's performance. A larger fuel tank also contributes to on-road capability. An essential element of the 250SL's collectability and future value is its rarity as a manual transmission, making it a true driver's car, as intended by its original designers. The 250SL and 280SL were mainly automatic. This Pagoda is a highly original example. As the technical data sheet attests, it retains its original engine with matching numbers and the cognac interior with which it left the factory in 1967. The bonnet and soft top compartment lid are stamped with the number 1192, the car's original body number, as per the technical data sheet. Although the car has a new soft top, the specification sheet confirms that this rarely seen beige colour is original. To complete the car, it comes with a valuable original tool kit. The specification sheet indicates that this Pagoda was a top-of-the-range car at the time, equipped with power steering, interference suppression, door mirrors, seat belts and tinted glass on the windscreen, options that it still proudly sports today. The power steering, combined with its advanced fuel injection system, makes it a singular 60s classic, easy to drive in modern traffic. This car proudly sports a set of extremely rare Mercedes 'steelie' wheels in lightweight aluminium. Incredibly hard to find, especially in the dimensions of the 250SL and 280SL, these rims were eventually found in a remote part of Australia. While retaining the period aesthetics and halving the unsprung weight, they considerably improve the Pagoda's performance and handling. It is fitted with a set of new Michelin tyres from the period. After a period in storage, this car has just undergone extensive work and has been the subject of major expenditure over the last six months. It is ready to be driven and enjoyed by a new owner. Complete rebuild after four brakes. Repair of the gearbox linkage. Complete servicing, recommissioning and engine tuning (details on request). Professional cleaning inside and out. New ATE front disc brakes. New rear bumpers. New side window bars. New hardtop locks. New hardtop seals. New diamond pattern fire mat. New low-pressure power steering and tank outlet hoses. The Mercedes-Benz Pagoda embodies the avant-garde design and technical ingenuity of the 1960s. The product of the drawing boards of Paul Bracq, a pillar of design at Mercedes and BMW and designer of the BMW M1 supercar, and the intellectual genius of the famous engineer Béla Barényi, the Pagoda was the first sports car in the world to incorporate Barényi's revolutionary safety cell. A true automotive icon of the twentieth century, the Pagoda has been owned by a fascinating array of personalities, from Sterling Moss and Kate Moss to Sophia Loren, Charlton Heston, John Lennon and Fangio. This incredibly rare 250 SL, dating from the first half of the 67s, with its manual gearbox, will continue to rise in value, as well as being a real treasure to drive and own. The sale includes 5 aluminium wheels, steel spare wheel, original Pagoda tool kit, air deflector, hard top stand, spare lens set and various parts. We'll be delighted to help you...
