As any Pagoda aficionado will be keenly aware, there are certain touchpoints to look out for that distinguish a great Pagoda from the rest, that really elevate it to a level above the norm. The specification and the colour choice, sure, but also the nitty-gritty of the maintenance and restoration. And if you know what you’re looking at, you’ll know from the photos that this example really is something special.

This car was subject to a full and extremely high-quality restoration in 1992, at a cost of £10,392 (equivalent to around £23,000 today), and at that time the SL had 89,523 miles on the clock. Since then, it's only covered a further 962 miles, and it’s evidently been very carefully stored in the meantime, as we could readily believe that the restoration was carried out last year, not 33 years ago. It was a sympathetic job, you can see that the original leather has been retained and the cabin has a lovely gentle patina rather than being over-restored, and in terms of the bodywork they plainly knew their stuff – it even retains the tiny notches on the wings by the headlight bezels. All pleasingly nerdy detail.

The SL was subject to a thorough recommissioning in 2016 at a cost of £6598, getting it all mechanically tip-top and ready to use. Today it drives like an absolute dream – the right spec, the right condition, the right feel, everything about it oozes a wonderful rightness. If you’ve been on the lookout for a Pagoda, stop looking. You’ve found it.
 

 

The car is in fabulous condition throughout, genuinely one of the nicest Pagodas we’ve seen. The restoration work has been carried out to a superb standard, paying close attention to the correct factory details; the shutlines are impressively even all around, and the choice to stay with the factory shade of Sand Beige Metallic was very smart – it’s a colour that suits the lines magnificently, appearing sober and discreet in low light but popping to an almost goldy-bronze in the sunlight.

The car wears the correct set of steel wheels with colour-matched hubcaps, and the tyres have plenty of tread. The window glass and light lenses are all good (save for a small crack on one rear lens), and the chrome is all in highly presentable condition. The original hard-top is present, in great condition with a very good headlining, and the soft-top is a tan mohair item that was fitted in 2019 and evidently hasn’t been used much since as it still looks as-new.

Inside the cabin, there are myriad delights to be found. This is the spec you want, with automatic transmission and power steering, and it’s very pleasing to note that this car was fitted with the rare optional leather trim, including the super-rare leather doorcards. The sympathetic restoration work has allowed all of the gentle patina to be retained, meaning that it all looks exactly as you want it to in here rather than being over-restored to a like-new condition. It really is a joyful car inside and out.

This is a matching-numbers car, it’s got the original engine and transmission – and also, you’ll note in the engine bay, the correct colour code for the Sand Beige Metallic paint.

The SL drives beautifully, testament to its low mileage as well as the fact that it’s evidently been looked after by people who know what they’re doing and care about the car. The engine fires readily on the first turn of the key and settles into an even idle, there’s a characteristic rasp from the exhaust (which sounds exactly as a 280 should), and the automatic transmission shifts smoothly just as it ought to. The engine pulls strongly through the gears, the power steering is light and direct, the ride is supple with no noises from the suspension, and the brakes pull it up straight and true. It’s everything you’d want it to be, and very much ready to enjoy.
 

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