Arguably one of the defining moments in Paul Bracq’s design career, the W113 ‘Pagoda’ SL debuted at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show, and was widely regarded as being ahead-of-its-time in terms of its design, construction and manufacturing, earning M-B a wonderful reputation for over-engineering its products.

Naturally, this quality came at a price. At the time of its launch, the W113 cost more than a Jaguar E-Type 4.2, but went on to prove popular with the elite and those in high society, being the choice of numerous California-based celebrities, movie stars and the like. With its ‘safety body’ featuring built-in crumple zones, over-engineered body shell and top-shelf construction, the W113 was one of the safest cars of its type on the road during the 1960s. 

Specifically, the 250 SL as seen here boasted a 2.5-litre, inline-six M129.II engine, rear disc brakes (the 230 had drums) and a limited-slip differential could be specified by the buyer. The rarest of all W113 models, the 250 SL was a one-year-only model, with only 5,196 constructed.

Delivered new to the first owner in Resfrewshire, Great Britain in July 1967, this wonderful - and exceedingly rare - 250 SL was purchased by our vendor in July 1983, and has since been used as Mercedes-Benz intended, crossing the continent numerous times, proving to be a reliable, stylish and head-turning addition to the family. 

At the time of purchase, the vehicle was in a “very poor state” and was therefore towed back to the owners then-home in Shoreditch, where a long-term restoration began in earnest, focussing initially on the mechanicals of the vehicle. The injector pump was rebuilt, a new soft-top fitted, a full engine and gearbox service carried out, new tyres fitted and a general fettle saw the vehicle returned to the roads in time to take it overseas during 1985.

The car was then stored for a number of years throughout the 1990s into the 2000s, due to the owner’s business taking off, and therefore taking priority over this Bracq-designed masterpiece. 

Come 2010, the decision was taken to give the car the full restoration that it deserved, which became far more in-depth than initially anticipated, as all good restorations have a habit of doing. This work included new OE Mercedes-Benz body panels, welding as required, a full engine rebuilt, gearbox overhaul, upholstery work, chassis overhaul and rebuild to the suspension and braking components, along with numerous new parts for the fuelling system. In essence, as the vendor puts it, this was a “nut-and-bolt” restoration, with no stone left unturned. 

“The body was totally stripped, with the engine, transmission, chassis and associated systems all split and sent off to various well-researched specialists. Everything was either restored, refurbished or replaced.”

The bodywork was addressed by Lust for Rust, and - along with the new panels - the car was stripped (walnut blasted), sprayed and re-built, with photographs of the shell on a rotisserie included below to show the extent of the works that were carried out on the vehicle. Whilst the bodywork was addressed by a specialist, the interior overhaul was done ‘in-house’ by the vendor’s business, using only the best materials available.

Following the culmination of restoration works in 2012, which the vendor describes as wonderful experience as it was done in-part with his adopted son, the car was shipped to renowned specialist Roger Edwards Motors, who gave the car a thorough once-over, tweaked a few little items, and generally gave the owner the ‘thumbs up’ for the restoration. 

Thankfully, all of this hard work, dedication and expenditure paid off, as the vendor subsequently took the car across the European continent, taking in Portugal, Italy, Germany and more, along with more ‘local’ trips to Scotland and Wales, stating the car was an “absolute pleasure” to drive then, as it is now. 

The car also attracted plenty of attention at the Blenheim Palace 50th Anniversary of the Pagoda event, which was one of the first shows the car was exhibited at post-restoration, with numerous kind comments, remarks and good words from the wealth of enthusiast knowledge available on the day.

A recent tune-up and once-over has ensured the car remains in top mechanical order, and there is no doubt that this is a truly cherished and loved example of the rarest of all W113 production models.

Included with the vehicle is the V5 showing six former keepers, a written history of the vendor’s ownership, MoT exemption certificate, recent MoT certificate valid until September 2022, and an extensive photographic record of the restoration process from start-to-finish, which is split across a number of DVDs and printouts, with a total of around 450 photographs from the restoration period.

There is also a veritable treasure trove of invoices and documentation, including numerous ‘big ticket’ invoices, such as the one from Lust for Rust totalling c.£16,000 for bodywork and paint and another from Roger Edwards.

Importantly, a copy of the OE original build sheet - supplied by Mercedes-Benz - is present, confirming that the vehicle has been restored to its original state, less the hardtop it was supplied with when new, which the vendor has never seen. 

On the inside, the stylish, well-built cabin of this W113 is in very good condition overall, though has been used and enjoyed as Mercedes intended, so naturally wears a few marks and age-related imperfections as you’d expect from a well-used vehicle.

That said, the only particularly visible signs of wear are displayed on the front seats, where the leather has been creased, worn and slightly cracked, displaying a lovely age-related patina from years in the sun and on the road. 

Importantly, the vendor notes that only the best materials were used during the restoration of the cabin, including Connolly Leather and Axminster carpets, whilst the faux-leather details were all hand-finished and stitched.

Elsewhere, the interior presents fantastically, with no sign of any damage to the dashboards, no sun-related cracking or wear, and crystal-clear dial glass. 

Looking down, the Axminster carpets look to be in great shape, though there are some marks here-and-there from regular use. Up above, the folding soft-top which was replaced upon the purchase of the vehicle remains in excellent condition throughout, with no staining or damp wear noted to the inner lining, and no issues with the mechanism reported from the vendor.

Speaking of the carpets, underneath the top-quality material sits 10mm of sound-deadening insulation, which makes a ‘world of difference’ on long-distance drives.

The high-traffic areas such as the shifter, steering wheel and door cards wear some typical usage marks and commensurate wear, whilst in the rear the luggage compartment presents well. Underneath the carpets, the spare wheel and tool kit are present, whilst the floors look lovely and solid, as do the door shuts inside the car’s bodywork.

More modern speakers have been fitted to the vehicle to enhance the usability of the vehicle, and all systems are reportedly in full working order, even down to the reserve light for the fuel gauge!

Fully refreshed within the last 15 years, the paint and bodywork on this Bracq-designed SL is in wonderful condition, and is sure to still turn plenty of heads wherever it goes.

Looking along the flanks of the vehicle, there are no signs of any noticeable impact damage, nor any tell-tale signs of accident damage such as mis-aligned panels, mis-matched paintwork or major scuffs.

The paintwork also looks to be in wonderful condition overall, though we’d expect to find some light usage marks and stone-chips when looking up-close, as this SL has been used and enjoyed to its fullest extent.

The chrome work is, on the whole, very good, with all trims, badges and pieces present-and-correct. The front and rear bumpers do wear some corrosion marks and scars, whilst other areas have dulled slightly over time, but may well be remedied with a through polish and treatment. 

As far as we can see, there are no signs of any damage to the various light lenses around the vehicle, nor to the folding soft-top, with the window free from deep marks, cracking or discolouring. The vendor reports no waterproofing issues from the roof mechanism, and there are no signs of any damage to the soft top material. 

All four wheels are in excellent condition, with no kerb rash noted. 

In fact, the condition of the bodywork is so good - the vendor assures us that the pictures are, indeed, totally accurate and are not hiding any minor imperfections - that the only issue is a slightly duff bonnet spring which does not hold it open well enough… remarkable. 

Reportedly in rude mechanical health, the naturally-aspirated, silky-smooth six-cylinder in the front of this 250 SL shows no signs of any major leaks, obvious issues, or other concerns up top or underneath.

The vendor reports no mechanical issues with the engine, transmission, braking or suspension systems, whilst a light fettling and tuning by Terry Clark has ensured that the car is in full health, and has transformed an already excellent driving experience to an outstanding one, with all linkages slightly fettled and aligned for a factory-fresh feel. 

According to the vendor, the car starts “first time, every time” and was regularly used as his business vehicle of choice during good weather spells, having taken him to lands such has Portugal, Spain, Holland and more, both abroad and on mainland England.

Underneath, the chassis and lower half of the vehicle are in outstanding condition, having evidently been kept in good health throughout the vendor’s ownership tenure, no doubt aided by access to a ramp, as seen in the photographs below. 

Further proof of this example’s excellent mechanical credentials is the current MoT certificate, which is valid until September 2022. Of course, due to its age, the vehicle is correctly registered as being exempt from mandatory MoT exams, so the choice to put the vehicle through the test regardless is a strong vote of confidence in its overall condition.

The ideal car to live out your movie star fantasies, cruise around on summer evenings or take to the South of France, the W113 ‘Pagoda’ is a true design masterpiece from Mercedes’ heritage, and earned itself a legendary reputation for being over-built, making it a wonderful ownership experience for those looking for a well-built roadster that requires only typical routine maintenance and fettling, as any vehicle of this era would need.

Offered in outstanding condition and restored regardless of cost within the last 15 years, this 250SL is ready to jump in, turn the key and enjoy.