Description
An Iconic 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL 'Pagoda'
Step into the golden age of motoring with this stunning 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL. From its effortlessly elegant Paul Bracq styling to its famously smooth ride, this "Pagoda" is more than a car—it's a rolling work of art that defined a generation. It was powered by a new seven-bearing crankshaft 2, 781cc straight-six engine that developed 170bhp and 180lb ft of torque. The SL was equipped with all-round independent suspension - double wishbones and coil springs at the front and coil sprung swing axles at the rear. Braking was by power assisted on all corners and steering was by recirculating ball. The car's 'square' track gave notably sure-footed handling. Able to blur the divide between city streets and open roads with ease, the majority of 280 SLs were specified with four-speed automatic gearboxes and power-assisted steering. Only 23, 885 were made by the time production ceased in 1971, virtually half of which were exported to the USA.
The car presents well as an original machine and understood to have been delivered new to the Canadian market on the 2nd April 1968, chassis the details below was specified in the rare and attractive colour scheme of Tobacco Brown over a Tan M-B Tex interior, with matching Tan hood - only 4% were produced in this rare colour. Little is known of the early ownership of the top-of-the-range 280SL. It is understood that the car stayed in Canada until 2022.
The bodywork is overall in solid shape and appears to have been subject to some level of welding in the past plus a complete respray at some point in the past. The quality of the respray is not show quality but there is good coverage, and it has lasted well. The body could be include a rust hole on the firewall and the passenger’s side suspension mount has been replaced previously. There is also a weld repair which has rusted out to the aft of the crossmember behind the driver’s seat (underneath the removable carpet panels) which will need to be addressed. The iconic hardtop 'Pagoda' roof shows that the original headlining has remained overall intact despite some wear, and the paint is overall in good condition.
A Driver's Dream
Under the hood, the powerful 2, 781cc straight-six engine delivers 170bhp, providing a driving experience that blurs the line between a city runabout and a weekend touring machine. This car fires up instantly, runs smoothly, and the four-speed automatic gearbox offers effortless gear changes. More than £12, 000 has been spent at the renowned SL Shop to ensure it's in fine mechanical shape, ready to be enjoyed from the moment you take the wheel.
The car instantly fires up when hot and shows good oil pressure when warm – the power steering pump is not being loud.
The interior is charmingly original, and the original MB Tex seat covering is intact along with several original fixings that appear untampered with. The wood dash trim is original but has perished at the ends and the door cards have signs of wear. The car is running very smoothly with effortless gear changes from the four-speed automatic transmission when we were driven to the photography location during the consignment process. The convertible hood appears to have been replaced at some point with a correct coloured Tan mohair item, which is rated as in ‘good’ condition by the vendor and the iconic hard top ‘Pagoda’ roof is painted attractively in body colour with its original and very much intact headlining. The reason I bought this car was the striking rare colour combination of Tobacco brown which felt very much of it's era. It's top of the range Mercedes engine and stunning iconic design made it even more appealing.
This is a car for the driver who appreciates originality and the smooth, commanding road presence of a true classic. It's ready for a new owner to create their own memories on winding roads and sun-drenched weekends where power is easily available and makes the 280SL sound and drive beautifully.
