By the end of the 1960’s, with BMW rising as a sports-luxury contender, Mercedes-Benz had answered the demand of the automotive press and the general public for a more muscular powerplant in its top-of-the-line saloons. The result was the brand’s first dynasty of V8 engines, ranging from an adequate 3.5L to a formidable 6.3L inherited from the prestigious 600 limousine.

While the W111 “Heckflosse” series, a child of the 1950’s with some undoubted American influence —tailfins, curved windshield—, was gradually being replaced by the more modern W108 and W109 saloons, the W111 coupes and cabriolets were left as standalone models until 1971. In addition to the many stylistic and technical refinements present in the Mercedes-Benz lineup of the time, these cars benefited from one of the new V8 powerplants, the M116 —a fuel-injected 3.5L V8. Performance figures were vastly improved: 0 to 100kph in less than ten seconds, and a top speed of over 200kph. By the time of their retirement in 1971, only 3,270 280SE 3.5 coupes and 1,232 cabriolets had left the assembly lines.

This restored 280SE 3.5 Coupe is finished in a stunning colour combination: Arabian Grey on burgundy leather. A matching-numbers car and world traveler, this Mercedes competed in the South American Rally and eventually made its way to its native Germany, where it received a comprehensive restoration by Thiesen. Under our ownership, this car has received an engine rebuild on the matching-numbers block, a transmission rebuild outsourced to marque specialists, select chrome re-plating, a revision of the rear swing axle, and a myriad of finishing touches to make it a show-quality example, worthy of display or enjoyment at the wheel.