Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL
(1968 - 1971)
Car articles about Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL 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 SEL
4-Door Sedan, 195 PS, 4489 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 199 PS, 3499 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 170 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 199 PS, 3499 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 199 PS, 4520 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 250 PS, 6330 cm3
Coupe, 160 PS, 2778 cm3
Convertible, 160 PS, 2778 cm3
Coupe, 199 PS, 3499 cm3
Convertible, 199 PS, 3499 cm3
Convertible, 170 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 140 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 160 PS, 2778 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 199 PS, 3499 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 194 PS, 4489 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL 3.5 Limousine 1971 Not Sold Bonhams Paris (February 6, 2020) |
280 SEL 3.5 Limousine | 1971 | Not Sold | Bonhams Paris (February 6, 2020) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL (108) 1970 Sold Dorotheum Fahrzeug Auktionen Classic Cars and Automobilia (June 13, 2015) |
280 SEL (108) | 1970 | Sold | Dorotheum Fahrzeug Auktionen Classic Cars and Automobilia (June 13, 2015) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Convertible with Hardtop 1969 Not Sold Bonhams Les Grandes Marques à Monaco (May 11, 2018) |
280 SL Convertible with Hardtop | 1969 | Not Sold | Bonhams Les Grandes Marques à Monaco (May 11, 2018) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 (109) 1971 Sold Bonhams The Scottsdale Auction (January 19, 2017) |
300 SEL 6.3 (109) | 1971 | Sold | Bonhams The Scottsdale Auction (January 19, 2017) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 1970 Sold Gooding & Co. Amelia Island (March 8, 2019) |
300 SEL 6.3 | 1970 | Sold | Gooding & Co. Amelia Island (March 8, 2019) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 (109) 1970 Not Sold Henry's Mutterstadt Auktion (June 18, 2016) |
300 SEL 6.3 (109) | 1970 | Not Sold | Henry's Mutterstadt Auktion (June 18, 2016) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 1970 Sold Bonhams Simeone Foundation Philadelphia Versteigerung (October 8, 2018) |
300 SEL 6.3 | 1970 | Sold | Bonhams Simeone Foundation Philadelphia Versteigerung (October 8, 2018) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 Saloon 1969 Sold RM/Sotheby's Paris (February 6, 2019) |
300 SEL 6.3 Saloon | 1969 | Sold | RM/Sotheby's Paris (February 6, 2019) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 (109) 1969 Sold Auctionata Berlin Sale (February 26, 2016) |
300 SEL 6.3 (109) | 1969 | Sold | Auctionata Berlin Sale (February 26, 2016) | |
| Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 1970 Sold Broad Arrow Auctions Jet Center Monterey (August 14, 2024) |
300 SEL 6.3 | 1970 | Sold | Broad Arrow Auctions Jet Center Monterey (August 14, 2024) |
Query all auctioned vehicles of Mercedes-Benz 280 SEL
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