Description
Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagode 1971 – W113, Ateliers Paul Bracq and documented restoration HPA Motors is pleased to offer for sale this Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagode, an elegant W113-series roadster identified by chassis number the details below. The Pagode is one of the most iconic Mercedes-Benz models of the post-war era. Its design is credited to Paul Bracq, a major French designer whose work left a lasting mark on Mercedes-Benz aesthetics throughout the 1960s. With its balanced lines, long bonnet, bright cockpit and its famous concave hard-top, the W113 created an instantly recognisable, timeless silhouette.
This example stands out for a particularly interesting detail: USA version, California origin according to an expert report, documented American import, current owner since 2014, major restoration by Les Ateliers Paul Bracq, and an extensive trail of invoices to 2026.
The Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagode The W113 series is presented in 1963 with the 230 SL, then develops into the 250 SL before reaching the 280 SL, the last and most fully developed of the Pagodes. The 280 SL receives the 2. 8-litre, in-line six-cylinder M130 engine, fed by Bosch mechanical injection. More torquey and more flexible than the earlier versions, it perfectly embodies the Pagode’s grand touring spirit: elegance, reliability, comfort and sheer driving pleasure. Produced until 1971, the 280 SL marks the final evolution of the W113 before the arrival of the R107 generation. In total, 48, 912 Mercedes-Benz W113 cars were produced across all versions.
The 280 SL represents the most fully developed variant of the range, with around 23, 885 examples built. This particular car, put into service in 1971, therefore belongs to the last phase of production for the model.
Paul Bracq’s design The Mercedes-Benz Pagode owes a large part of its aura to Paul Bracq’s design. At once restrained, balanced and sophisticated, the W113 moves away from the more classic lines of the 190 SL, offering a more modern, more architectural look that is also far more timeless. The concave hard-top—giving the car its nickname—is not merely a styling element. It contributes to the brightness of the cabin, improves visibility and gives the car a unique signature. On this example, the presence of a substantial invoice from the Ateliers Paul Bracq adds a rare and very coherent dimension to the file. Seeing a Pagode restored by an atelier bearing its designer’s name is particularly rewarding for a collector.
Identification and specification The file for this Mercedes-Benz 280 SL confirms the following:
Model: Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagode
Series: W113
Factory type: 113. 044
Chassis number: the details below
Engine: in-line six-cylinder M130
Automatic gearbox
First registration: 1 January 1971
French registration document as a historic vehicle
Body: two-seat cabriolet
Energy: petrol
Tax power: 15 hp (CV)
Vehicle imported from the United States
Original specification: Light Ivory 670 H
Original hard-top: Tobacco Brown 423
Upholstery / trim according to datacard: code 140
Last mileage recorded at the 2026 technical inspection: 3, 811 km.
The Mercedes-Benz datacard confirms the chassis 113044 12 017475, the original engine 130983-12-011331, gearbox 006112, exterior paint 670 H Light Ivory, hard-top 423 Tobacco Brown, along with several factory options.
Key point: the datacard shows that the car is not matching numbers. The engine currently fitted does not correspond to the original engine number indicated by Mercedes-Benz. This is clearly identified in the file and must be presented with full transparency. The current colour is also not strictly the same as the original shade. Today the car is presented in an elegant beige, whereas the original factory configuration was Light Ivory 670 H with a Tobacco Brown 423 hard-top. The presentation remains very harmonious and faithful to the spirit of the Pagode, but it should not be presented as an original colour.
Original options The file and the datacard allow several interesting options and specifics to be identified:
426: combination automatic gearbox 420 and power steering 422
491: USA version
503: left exterior mirror
513: Becker Europa Stereo USA radio
670 H: Light Ivory body colour
423 H: hard-top and hubcap colour Tobacco Brown
Country code 7: American market
Hard-top fitted to the car with the hood folded.
These options fit the spirit of a 280 SL intended for the American market: a comfortable, well-equipped Pagode designed for flexible, elegant road use.
Known history and American past This Mercedes-Benz 280 SL is a USA version, identified by its datacard and its original codes. The file confirms a car in…
