1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

The vendor, who has driven, owned, restored and sold more pagoda-roofed SLs than most people could shake a stick at, thinks this example offers the best driving experience of any he has experienced.

And we’re inclined to agree with him.

We’ll come on to the exceptional quality of the restoration later, but if we just focus for now on how the car drives then we should start by saying that it really is in a league of its own.

There’s nothing woolly, soft, vague or in any other way pudding-like about how it drives. As aficionados of the model will attest, that’s not always the case.

This 280SL starts promptly when asked to do so and it revs enthusiastically and freely in all gears. On the road it is taut, responsive and agile, with an engine that feels every bit as eager and flexible as anything you’d find in a modern hot hatch.

Frankly, it’s so dynamically and mechanically on-point in every respect, it’s nothing short of a revelation.

This car was built in 1968 for the US marketplace and was delivered with many period factory options included power steering, automatic transmission, air‑conditioning and disc brakes.

It was brought to the UK in 2018 and then expertly restored to the highest standards both mechanically and aesthetically.

The car is in its original Dark Red colour with Charcoal Black Mercedes-Benz Tex trim.

Everything that needed refurbing, reconditioning, restoring or replacing has been addressed. Nothing that needed fettling, tweaking, tuning or buffing has been missed.

It’s a thing of beauty and a joy to behold – and drive.

A word of warning to anyone planning on coming to see this car.

It is mouth-wateringly gorgeous.

So, remember to just look at it, not lick it.

The ‘542G’ Dark Red paintwork is gloriously rich and deep with a lustre and shine to it that perfectly accentuates the car’s classically simple, elegant lines.

It really is an exceptionally good looking car, with smooth, ripple-free flanks; solid sills and gutters; tight, consistent shut lines and door gaps; and panels that are remarkably free of any dinks, dents, scuffs, nicks, chips or other unwanted blemishes.

The pretty much faultless finish applies equally to the hard top, which is not always the case with these cars.

The car’s condition reflects the fact that it’s been freshly restored and painted on a bare metal, chassis-up, chrome-off and glass-out basis.

The chrome on the bumpers, hub caps, trim and badging looks un-pitted and shiny because it’s been re-chromed.

The matching whitewall Michelin X radial tyres look as good as new because they are.

The mohair hood looks immaculate because it’s brand new, as are most of the rubber seals and trim.

Is it 100% perfect?

No. But then nothing is.

Not even cars that rolled off a production line yesterday.

The rubber seals at the front corners of the folding hood need putting back in place. There’s a tiny mark in the paintwork at the top of the n/s front wing. The rubber seal near the top hinge on the driver’s door is a bit loose. There are a couple of stone chips on the n/s rear wheel arch and a couple of small scuffs just forward of the boot lid on the n/s. There are a few flakes of what appears to be superficial rust inside the n/s roof storage compartment.

Given the phenomenal overall condition of this vehicle, we think you’ll agree that these are hardly deal-breaking concerns.

The good news continues on the inside, which is a beautifully authentic and sensitively restored place to spend some quality time.

The Charcoal Black Tex upholstery and trim is in very impressive condition, and the car also benefits from the fitment of correct OEM specification carpets and the refurbishment of all woodwork during restoration.

The comfortable and supportive seats afford a surprisingly good driving position. This is a car you could take on long journeys without needing to book a chiropractor when you reach your destination and crawl out of the car on your hands and knees.

We think that’s something you’ll appreciate in an SL pagoda that drives better than any other we’ve encountered to date.

Believe us when we tell you that you really will want to drive this car. Your friends and relatives will have to prise your fingers off the steering wheel. Which, by the way, is also in extremely good condition.

The door cards, carpets and mats are immaculate, as is the dashboard. As far as we can tell, all dials and gauges work as intended.

The original factory option AC (with the splendidly Teutonic name of ‘Kühlmeister’) - has been overhauled at considerable expense.

These cars hail from an era when Mercedes’ reputation for automotive excellence owed much to the marque’s obsessive commitment to over-engineering everything from the drivetrain to the ashtray.

For proof of this, look no further than this vehicle’s glove compartment, the door to which has the heft and weight of a Chubb safe, and boasts a working interior light.

It’s a pleasure to open and close even if for no reason whatsoever.

Both sun visors have some light foxing and spotting, as does the headlining inside the hardtop, which wears the patina of its years in the form of some discolouration - which may only require a sponge and some elbow grease to rectify.

As you’d expect, the brand new mohair hood look as good from the inside as it does from the outside.

The boot is equally clean and tidy, although it is required to give up around half of its space to a full-sized spare wheel.

Lifting up the carpets in here, or anywhere else in the car, reveals nothing more worrying that some glue residue.

The undersides of this car look very solid and honest. As they should, given that the restoration involved welding in new floor panels and sills, and overhauling, refurbishing, reconditioning or replacing (as required) the suspension, braking and exhaust systems.

Everything is rust free save for the odd superficial bloom of dust on a pipe here and there, and there is a good coating of bitumen/wax in evidence.

It has to help that this car spent virtually all of its life in the USA, where salt is sprinkled on pretzels and rubbed around the rim of margarita glasses, not chucked all over the roads.

The engine bay is clean and tidy with everything in its right and proper place.

UK registered in 2019, this car was built for the North American market where it remained until its 2018 export. It comes with a current V5 and MoT, a Mercedes‑Benz letter of authenticity, a copy of its Indiana title document and an itemised list of just some of the major work it has had done since arriving in the UK.

The car has an MoT certificate, with no advisories, valid until 20.10.22.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos and paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

However, if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

We think this is a fabulous example of the marque, the model and the restorer’s craft.

In the rarified world of SL pagodas there are some cars that look fantastic but perhaps don’t drive so well, and there are other cars that drive well but don’t quite cut the mustard aesthetically.

This one knocks the ball out of the park on both counts.

It looks absolutely wonderful and drives better than any 280SL pagoda that either we or the vendor have encountered before.

It really is a bit special.

We think this car will sell for between £76,000 and £86,000.

Inspection is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.