Officially introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1963 and remaining in production until 1971, the Mercedes W113 "Pagoda" is one of the long lines of two-seater coupe/roadster produced by Mercedes Benz. It got the nickname "Pagoda" from the slightly concave hardtop that was designed along with the rest of the car by Paul Bracq and Bela Barenyi. This makes it uniquely distinct from the rest of its siblings and also rather desirable for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Some components of the bodywork were produced in aluminum as this is in order to save weight. The chassis was wide and short to provide the best possible handling and it worked hand in hand with mechanical components such as the suspension, brakes and radial tyres to further improve handling performance.

The 280 SL was officially released and started production at the end of 1967 and continued production until 1971 when Mercedes Benz introduced the replacement model series altogether. Like the entire W113 range, the 280 SL has a 6-cylinder engine but with 2.8 liters of displacement that develops 170 BHP. It came with a choice of a 4-speed manual or automatic gearboxes.

This particular example is a 1968-year model with the 4-speed automatic transmission that underwent a full restoration by a respected Mercedes Benz specialist a few years ago.

It has been fastidiously maintained by its owners over the past few years and is one of the best 280SL Pagoda examples in South Africa.

For more information on this vehicle, please contact Jeremy or Gareth on the links below for more details.