Mercedes-Benz 280 SE
(1967 - 1972)
Car articles about Mercedes-Benz 280 SE by year
In 1968, hobby tester Heinz Kranz was given the opportunity to drive the new Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3. He was extremely impressed by the temperament and the driving characteristics and only questioned the size of this market niche. The refreshed report shows his findings in detail and compares the representative car with its competitors.
The Mercedes-Benz 280 SL of the W 113 model series and its direct predecessors, the 230 SL and 250 SL, are among the most popular automobile classics of all. Accordingly, much has already been written about them. That is why, in addition to a brief biography, this article focuses on special variants and versions that are less well known, but also offers driving impressions with a 280 SL with automatic transmission. Many of the historical photographs showing pre-series versions and special bodies are probably unique, as are the early press documents, which means that this vehicle report is also aimed at intimate connoisseurs of the "Pagoda".
Since the early days of the more comfort-oriented variants from the W 113 onwards, the typical Mercedes SL driver has enjoyed shifting gears automatically. However, there was always the manual alternative, which usually had four forward gears in the 1960s. What remained rare, however, was an actually very sensible variant from ZF with five gears, which allowed the engine, which was sensitive to engine speed, to be spared while at the same time being able to directly determine which gear ratio the car was currently running with. Just over one percent of all 280 SLs were equipped with the five-speed transmission, and this report is dedicated to one of these rare models.
When money and willpower come together in unusually high concentrations, stories of admirable irrationality sometimes emerge. At the end of the 1960s, a Dutch businessman insists on having his 300 SEL 6.3 converted into a coupé by Pininfarina - and then keeps it for barely more than a year. This article tells the story of one of the last cars with a special body, whose lines are still polarizing after more than 50 years.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3, built between 1968 and 1972, was the fastest saloon produced in Germany and could also keep up with fast sports cars. It was created by combining the long-wheelbase version of the 300 SE with the engine from the Mercedes 600. 6.3 liters of displacement and 250 hp in combination with the lighter 300 SEL saloon made it possible to achieve outstanding driving performance without sacrificing comfort. This report goes into the history of the development, describes driving impressions and shows the saloon in current and historical pictures, supplemented by original brochures and press information, as well as a sound sample.
Current market prices for Mercedes-Benz 280 SE
Coupe, 160 PS, 2778 cm3
Convertible, 160 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 200 PS, 3499 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 194 PS, 4489 cm3
Coupe, 200 PS, 3499 cm3
Convertible, 200 PS, 3499 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 185 PS, 2746 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 200 PS, 3499 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 196 PS, 4489 cm3
Convertible, 170 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 140 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2746 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 185 PS, 2746 cm3
Coupe, 160 PS, 2746 cm3
Coupe, 185 PS, 2746 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Mercedes-Benz 280 SE
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Convertible 1971 Sold Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 9, 2021) |
280 SE 3.5 Convertible | 1971 | Sold | Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 9, 2021) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Coupé 1970 Sold RM/Sotheby's The European Sale featuring the Petitjean Collection (June 3, 2020) |
280 SE Coupé | 1970 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's The European Sale featuring the Petitjean Collection (June 3, 2020) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet 1970 Sold Bonhams The Zoute Sale (October 8, 2023) |
280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet | 1970 | Sold | Bonhams The Zoute Sale (October 8, 2023) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Cabriolet 1970 Sold Bonhams Scottsdale (January 27, 2022) |
280 SE Cabriolet | 1970 | Sold | Bonhams Scottsdale (January 27, 2022) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 1970 Not Sold Avus Hamburg Auktion (March 22, 2014) |
280 SE 3.5 | 1970 | Not Sold | Avus Hamburg Auktion (March 22, 2014) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 (108) 1972 Sold Historics at Brooklands Weybridge (March 4, 2017) |
280 SE 3.5 (108) | 1972 | Sold | Historics at Brooklands Weybridge (March 4, 2017) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet 1971 Sold RM/Sotheby's Monterey Sale (August 16, 2013) |
280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet | 1971 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Monterey Sale (August 16, 2013) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5L cabriolet 1970 Sold Artcurial Sur les Champs (October 16, 2022) |
280 SE 3.5L cabriolet | 1970 | Sold | Artcurial Sur les Champs (October 16, 2022) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE Coupé 1968 Sold Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Swiss Classic World Versteigerung (May 25, 2019) |
280 SE Coupé | 1968 | Sold | Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Swiss Classic World Versteigerung (May 25, 2019) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Coupé 1972 Not Sold Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Frühjahrsauktion (March 27, 2021) |
280 SE 3.5 Coupé | 1972 | Not Sold | Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Frühjahrsauktion (March 27, 2021) |
Query all auctioned vehicles of Mercedes-Benz 280 SE
Engine sounds of Mercedes-Benz 280 SE vehicles (random selection)
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