If you ever needed to see proof of how good German engineering can be then look no further than this delightful 230 Fintail. Finished in grey and having undergone a restoration some years ago, this car is one of those ‘drive-away’ opportunities. All the hard work and expense has been done and just leaves you to enjoy the car to its full potential. 

Of course, there are a couple of little things left for you to do to make it perfect, but that is part of the attraction. It has benefitted from spending most of its life in sunnier climbs of France so has been seemingly spared the ravages of rust and presents itself as a very original and sturdy 56-year-old machine.

There is minimal documentation from the car’s life in France but it is apparent by the condition of the car that it seems to have been well cared for. It has had restorative work but the amount can’t be verified. It was brought to the UK by the previous owner in 2015 as the importation documentation shows. 

The mileage is low at 55,000 km and again can’t be verified easily but owing to the overall condition of the car could make it correct. The car has now been registered in the UK and a current V5c is present.

The airy interior has been kept as the factory intended and the seating has been retrimmed in bright red leather. The seats themselves appear supportive and firm and are free from any severe wear and tear. The dashboard has quite an unusual upright binnacle that is surprisingly modern for the era. The upper dash has suffered from sun damage and a portion of the top embellishment is missing. 

It is something that would need Specialist attention but it would finish the interior and match the quality of the surroundings. A little repair would also complete the rear shelf as there is a little material that has come away below the rear window. The slender steering wheel and column gear-change all seem to add to the delightful period interior.

The previous owner has ensured that the car retains its originality and the Saudi Arabian Grey paintwork is set off nicely against the black steel wheels and period hub-caps. The paint itself appears to have a good depth of shine and only has the odd blemish here and there. The brightwork looks to be original and possesses just enough patina to look right for the age of the car. 

The lighting clusters and headlamps are all intact and again seem correct for the era. The doors have a solid well-made feel to them as they close and even the clever drop-down rear number plate which conceals the filler cap works as well as the day it was made.

We all know that German engineering and ingenuity are held in high regard the world over and this car is a testament to it. There does seem to be a sense that it is all built rather well but perhaps some of that is due to the tasteful restoration work and the general appearance of the car. It is difficult to determine exactly what has been replaced and what is original but that shouldn’t be a concern as the whole car does appear to be in great condition throughout. 

Although not test-driven, the engine started and run smoothly with a calm settled tick-over. The column gear selection is something of a novelty as we don’t see that around today but it functions well and is something anyone could get accustomed to. 

Having someone do all the work for you before buying a Classic can be a huge benefit, not least on the pocket. This W111 Mercedes certainly has had some restoration work done and as previously described it may be unclear what has been restored, replaced or repaired, but the very fact that this is unclear is a testament to the previous owner’s desire and ability to keep this gem of a car as original as possible. 

The result is that we now have a surviving example of quite a rare car from another era that is ready and willing to be enjoyed at the turn of the key. Sure, there are a couple of jobs in the interior that you may want to do, but surely any Classic needs a little fettling? Perhaps you’d like to take the car a little further to become Concours, either way, finding a motor of this age and in this overall condition can’t be ignored for long.

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