Launched in 1959 as the replacement for the classic ‘Ponton’, the Mercedes-Benz W111 series was elegant, well-built and extremely expensive. It was as much a status symbol as a car, and the build quality was astonishing. 

Initially introduced as the four-door ‘Fintail’ saloon, the W111 range evolved to include an estate and also two two-door variants.

The Coupé and Convertible models were even more special, launched in 1960 to celebrate  the 75th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz and the opening of the company’s Stuttgart museum, which remains to this day. 

The 220 SE Coupé was notable not only for its size and quality,  but also its strikingly handsome pillarless profile. It’s stunning from every angle, but especially with the windows down. 

This example is an original RHD UK car, which give it added appeal, and it has very recently been subject to a full restoration carried out by its private vendor, who rebuilt the car over the past three years.

AJH 309A was first registered in 1963 and was found by the vendor in late 2017. He is a North London-based car collector with a huge soft-spot for Mercedes-Benzes, and he saw huge potential in the car despite it being down-at-heel. 

Over the next four years he spent over £40,000 procuring parts from all over the world in order to give the car the full restoration he believed it deserved. No corners were left unturned and any part that needed replacing was renewed or restored, mostly by his own hand.

He finished the restoration of the car in 2021 and used it for most of last summer to enjoy the fruits of his handiwork. However, he also has a W111 Convertible that he has recently started to restore, so the Coupé needs to be sold in order to free up both funds and space to complete a similar standard of restoration on his soft-top version.

The owner bought the Mercedes-Benz with very little in the way of paperwork other than a V5C registration document. The car is now registered in his name and as a historic vehicle at DVLA, meaning it is both tax and MOT exempt.

During the three-year restoration, he kept all of the bills and receipts for the parts and third-party work that he had done on the car and they total over £40,000. So while there might not be any historical paperwork with the Mercedes, there's plenty of proof that what you're buying is essentially a brand new car.

Finished in Mercedes-Benz Classic White, the 220 SE is an absolutely fabulous looking beast. It's also utterly huge, Leaving very little space to get in and out when parked in the garage in which it has been stored.

Indeed, the garage is the reason for the only tiny flaws you'll find on the car, as there are a couple of chips to the paintwork on the driver’s side door from the owner getting in and out. Aside from that, it's absolutely superb.

During its rebuild, the floors and sills were replaced along with most of the panels, while a replacement grille, bumpers, headlights and the rare chrome side trims were also sourced through specialists in the UK, USA, Germany and further afield.

The paint finish is superb and the majority of the rubbers have also been renewed, while a new set of tyres complete the picture. It really is a wonderful car, in fantastic condition and that pillarless profile is to die for. As classic Mercedes-Benzes go, it's one of the most beautiful examples ever made and this one is probably as good as they get.

When purchased, the Mercedes-Benz’s original black leather seats were in poor condition and needed to be completely recovered. 

The vendor had always wanted a W111 with a red leather interior so this was the perfect opportunity to get one made up. He colour-matched the red leather to be as close as possible to the original Mercedes-Benz red and he retrimmed the majority of the seats himself. Included with the car is a half square metre of leather that the new owner can use for repairs should they ever damage it.

He also stripped back the wooden dashboard cubby tray, which was still in good condition but had damaged veneers, and painstakingly treated and re-veneered the wood himself.

Not a detail has been left untouched. All of the dials and controls were cleaned up and replaced where necessary, and although the steering wheel is original, both the horn ring and centre boss have recently been replaced with brand new items. 

This is one of those cars where the interior is as gorgeous as the exterior, and given how high the bar was set by the outside to start with, that's not a statement we make lightly.

The 2196cc M180 engine is one of the most enduring and long-serving Mercedes-Benz power plants and it has been found in a variety of its models over the years.

It's a tough, smooth and dependable unit and required very little work to be put into full running order. However, as the car was being rebuilt anyway it was also given a mechanical overhaul, with all of the engine ancillaries replaced, new mounts, new rubbers and refreshed fuel lines.

The suspension and brakes have also been fully overhauled with fresh components all round, along with the steering joints and bushes. Essentially, this is a car that needs for nothing. The vendor has driven it quite a few times since he completed the restoration and reports that it's in fine working order with no known faults.

If the appearance of this car alone doesn't entice you - and we can't see why it wouldn't - then the quality of the restoration and the love and detail that have been put into it by a committed Mercedes-Benz enthusiast are reason alone to buy it.

Whilst not absolutely concourse, it's a very high quality and sympathetic restoration that has been carried out on an original UK car - a rarity in itself with the majority of W111 Coupés in the UK being US or European imports.

This is a high quality and very lovely example and it would mean a huge amount to the vendor if it goes on to be loved by somebody who will appreciate the sheer amount of work and effort that he has personally put into bringing it up to the standard it is.

This item is sold on an ‘As is Where is’ basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and listing descriptions are for guidance purposes only. Car & Classic do not warrant listing accuracy. Full inspection is recommended. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion. Buyer is responsible for delivery and collection of any item purchased.