A lovely looking 280SL in a popular colourway – Champagne Metallic over Brazil Sports Check
A low mileage, lightly used example – just 2,300 miles per year on average
Complete with contrasting removeable hard top and tailored cover for the ultimate flexibility
The Appeal
The R107 arrived with some big shoes to fill. It’s predecessor, the esteemed W113 “pagoda,” was a worldwide success for Mercedes Benz. The R107, however, went on to sell over six times as many cars as its illustrious predecessor. Its success is really no surprise when you think about it.
The R107 is a superbly engineered coupe which is as comfortable as it is durable all whilst offering great cabin and luggage space and the benefits of a removeable hard top and an easily operated soft top. The cars looked great too. Sporting, yet sophisticated. A combination that delivered a car that fitted in everywhere. This included on the cast list of many popular 1980’s TV shows including Dallas and Heart to Heart.
The interior of this R107 features the popular and period-correct Sports Check fabric in the “Brazil” colourway
The seat centres are box pleated and dressed in the Brazil Sports Check fabric
The seat bolsters are dressed in dark brown MB Tex vinyl
All seats and coverings and structures appear to be in great used condition throughout
Door cards are finished in a mixture of Brazil Sports Check fabric and dark brown MB Tex
They also appear to be in excellent condition
Carpets are in a complimentary dark brown and appear to present very well
The vinyl dashboard elements and signature large four spoke steering wheel appear to be original, and period correct
A few small heat-cracks are evident in the dash top (pictured)
The inner hood lining presents in a good, used condition
The fabric interiors of R107’s of this period are instantly recognisable from their distinctive check patterns and their high-quality engineering values. This example is certainly no exception, and the dark brown colourway suits the car very well and is a refreshing antidote to the swathes of black of more modern interiors.
The exterior of the 280SL looks great in the distinctive Champagne Metallic paintwork
Paintwork appears to be in a deep and lustrous condition with no significant areas of deterioration noted or reported
Panel gaps look tight and symmetrical – a given for these impeccably engineered cars
The soft top is presented in a complimentary dark brown vinyl
The hood is in good used condition with just a couple of small cracks (pictured) in the Polyglas of the rear quarterlights – an easy fix for a specialist
The car is fitted with the familiar “Mexican Hat” Mercedes Benz alloy wheels
The alloys appear to be in good original condition and are fitted with the correct profile Dunlop SP Sport tyres
A removeable hard top in contrasting Russet Brown is included (pictured) and is reported to be in excellent condition
This 280SL has a very authentic, period look thanks to the Champagne Metallic paintwork, contrasting brown hood and signature “Mexican Hat” alloy wheels. A really eye-catching combination which manages to encapsulate the zeitgeist of the mid 1980’s very effectively. It is all in great, original condition too.dcOHzPBy5IVSpLgxoCucZc39UxSrCCfwXFXlRNnW.jpeg2.79 MB
The Mechanics
The 280SL is fitted with the respected 2746cc, inline six-cylinder engine
A smooth and powerful unit originally rated at 182 bhp and 176 Ib-ft of torque
Power is fed smoothly to the rear wheels via a four-speed automatic gearbox
This combination is considered by many to offer the best combination of power, refinement and economy
The current owner attests to the car driving very well and confirming that all mechanical systems are working as they should
The low mileage and the documented maintenance activities have clearly benefitted this 280SL
A silky smooth straight-six engine and a smooth changing 4-speed automatic gearbox was one of the key elements that made the R107 so popular the world over. This is a car that is equally at home on a fast A road as it is wafting gently along a scenic coastal route. This example is reported to entirely true to that “car for all seasons” ethos, with the current owner offering high praise to his car and how well it drives.
Here we have a very original and period correct example of the R107 280SL in, arguably, one of the best period colourways. It looks great in all of its guises – hard top on, soft-top up or with the roof down. This car would look entirely at home parked outside Southfork Ranch.
It is a low mileage and well cared for example too. From the engineering apogee of Mercedes Benz this is a delightful example which will doubles provide its new owner with many more years of pleasure and enjoyment.
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