West Coast Classics are proud to present an exceptional example of this extremely rare and unrestored mostly all original survivor in its original factory 'Light Ivory' (MB code 670) color paint, of a W112-024 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE fuel injection Coupe with it's original engine, its original tools, original 'Brown' Roser leather interior and power steering and disc brakes and desirable floor shifter!
In 1968, Mercedes-Benz introduced the 280 SE, the last of Mercedes-Benz's hand-built model lines, and one of the final evolutions of W111 platform. They came equipped with the new inline six-cylinder M130 motor, and they continued the tradition of W111 'Fintails' dating to 1959. The 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280 Series was available as a sedan, coupe, or convertible and was powered by an overhead-cam six-cylinder engine with two carburetors and delivered 157 horsepower. The 280SE, 280SL, and 280SEL versions received the same engine but with a 9.5:1 compression ratio and Bosch fuel injection system and delivered 180 horsepower. A four-speed manual was standard with an automatic available as optional equipment. Inside, the car received a wood veneer option on the dashboard and air conditioning was a factory option. Only 3,797 Coupes were built between the 1968-71 production years with many of these coupes have been unceremoniously chopped into bogus convertibles over the years making this unmolested and mostly all original example exceedingly rare.
The combination of superb performance and elegant and luxurious styling makes the 280SE Coupe a very highly collectible and desirable car amongst classic car collectors internationally and this is obviously especially true for Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. This was an very low production car for its day with only 3,797 units produced during its only four years of production (1968-71) with very few unmolested examples remaining on the road or available in any form today.
This particular example shows its original factory 'Light Ivory' (Color code 670) color paint which is very fine condition throughout. The original 'Brown' Roser leather interior is in quite remarkable condition for its age showing only some very mild and quite attractive patina, rather like your favorite comfortable old leather sofa. This is a mostly all original example with the wood veneer being in very fine shape, the leather seats and original carpets showing only very minor patina in places, the gauges, knobs and dials are all in a virtual time warp, having always obviously been garaged, there is no signs of any major damage from the elements. There is no rust and the car boasts its original factory 'Blaupunkt' AM radio, power steering, factory tools and with a little TLC this very honest and unrestored and obviously always garaged and rust and accident free example would prove the perfect candidate for the Mercedes enthusiast to fully restore or alternatively a car to be kept in this very original surviving condition to enjoy and show as is and which in any case would prove a worthy classic addition to any collection.
Carrying a whopping MSRP of over $10K over fifty years ago, it should come as no surprise that this placed the 280SE Coupe squarely in Rolls Royce territory with only those who could afford the best able to buy one. Hand built with generously applied chrome fittings, combined with the finest natural materials available, provide an unmatched ambiance of luxury and wealth in its lavishly appointed interior, with fine ROSER leather, exquisite burl wood and chrome plated fittings abound, the standard of craftsmanship apparent everywhere on this car is nothing short of astonishing on these hand-built Mercedes luxury cars. The Roser company was a German leather company and a key supplier of leather to Mercedes-Benz and other automobile companies over the decades until the company went out of business in 1994. Roser leather was surface-dyed, as opposed to vat-dyed which most all leather today typically is. Vat-dyed leather has the dye permeating the entire skin, so that when you cut the leather you can still see the dye/color on the inside of the skin. The traditional Mercedes Roser leather was surface-dyed, meaning the dye only sat on the surface of the leather and didn't permeate all the way through the skin. Roser leather was supplied to Mercedes cars during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and perhaps even through the 1980s. The leather has a number of characteristics that set it apart from current MB leather and leather that you typically see in other automobiles. These characteristics are that the Mercedes leather tends to be harder, less stretchier, and has a semi-gloss surface to it as opposed to more of a "matte" finish that today's glove-soft leathers typically have. Roser leather tends to be stronger as well, because the dye doesn't permeate through the hide. Roser leather is not available today and has not been available anywhere since 1994 (unless it is new-old-stock Roser leather from the original production runs, which MB does have as evidenced by the limited leather availability from the factory). Any company saying they are selling newly produced Roser leather is wrong and is being misleading. As previously stated it is of particular note that this particular car still boasts it's mostly completely original looking interior including original AM radio, original steering wheel, leather and wood and factory tools!
This car must be seen and driven to be fully appreciated - in summary, this must be one of the finest, to say nothing of one of the rarest example's left available of a mostly all original 1969 Mercedes Benz 280 SE Coupe with no signs of any rust and no accidents; a prime candidate for an easy concourse restoration for the Mercedes enthusiast or simply a fine daily driver and honest stock survivor for any classic car enthusiast!
