Vehicle Description
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!
