West Coast Classics are proud to present an absolutely exceptional example of this mostly all stock and original southern California owners 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Coupe with reportedly and believed to be 55K original miles!
The original factory 'Silver Grey Metallic' (color code 180) color paint is in exceptional condition and the rare and highly desirable factory options, including the car's interior, include the original steering wheel, automatic floor shifter, leather 'Black' seats, original wood, original 'Becker Europa' radio with power antenna, power windows, outside rear mirrors, low grille, original owner's manuals and original factory BEHR air conditioning; this striking mostly all original example would prove a worthy addition to any enthusiasts collection.
The 280 SE 3.5 coupes were Mercedes-Benz' first V-8 powered sports cars. The combination of superb performance and elegant styling makes the 3.5 a very highly collectible and desirable car amongst classic car collectors and this is obviously especially true for Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts. With the same basic body as the 280 SE six cylinder, the eight cylinder offered a new interior which featured more wood and leather upholstery as standard. This was a low production car for its day with only 4,502 units produced (3,270 coupes and 1,232 cabriolets) during its only two years of production (11/1969-7/1971).
The 280SE 3.5 W111 model. was built for a period of less than two years, from November 1969 to July 1971 with fewer than 500 of these low grille V-8 Coupes sold in the U.S. Carrying a whopping MSRP of $14,509.00 forty years ago, this should come as no surprise. Squarely placed in Rolls Royce Corniche territory, those who could afford the best were fortunate if they could even obtain a 3.5 from their local Mercedes Benz dealer, such was the exclusivity and demand of this amazing motorcar. Generously applied chrome fittings, combined with the finest natural materials available, provide an unmatched ambiance of luxury and wealth in its lavishly appointed interior, where 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 making the cost of restoration for one of these hand-built Mercedes luxury Coups has become almost prohibitively expensive.
In 1969, the 3.5-liter power plant introduced the engine of tomorrow for Mercedes. Highly advanced, Mercedes' first V-8 featured overhead camshafts, electronic fuel injection, and transistorized ignition. Output was rated at 200 DIN horsepower, good for a top speed of 127 mph and 0-60 times of 8.9 seconds and this particular car must drive virtually as well as the day it left the showroom floor over forty years ago! The engine is extremely strong and responsive with excellent oil pressure and no noticeable oil leaks and which sounds absolutely magnificent. The transmission shifts smoothly through all the gears and the engine temperature always remains cool.
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).
With prices of the 280SE 3.5 V8 cabriolet convertibles now selling for well over $400K and consequently with the progressively thin on the ground coupes that are still left unmolested now becoming harder and harder to find; the coupe prices have also been rising considerably as a result (unfortunately many coupes have been crudely butchered and unforgivably turned into convertibles over the years!).
In summary, this must be one of the finest, to say nothing of one of the most original surviving examples of a southern California car, with its original 'California Pink Slip' title showing only one California owner until 2023; of these highly collectible and legendary Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 V8 Coupes left available anywhere in such rare turn-key ready daily appreciating, daily driving and daily head-turning condition!
