1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet

3,499cc SOHC V8 Engine
Mechanical Bosch Fuel Injection
200bhp at 5,800rpm
4-Speed Automatic Transmission
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Vacuum Assisted Disc Brakes


*Desirable and luxurious 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet with factory air conditioning and Becker radio
*Top-of-the-line, hand-built Mercedes-Benz of supreme quality
*Finished in enduringly elegant DB396 Medium Blue Metallic over a blue leather interior
*One of just 802 top-of-the-line, one-year-only 3.5-Liter Cabriolets produced for the US market


THE MERCEDES-BENZ W111

"If you feel obligated to ask about the price you not only will never understand the car, you have branded yourself incapable of ever appreciating its virtues even if someone gave you one." - Car & Driver on the Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5.

Introduced in late 1969 as a prestige model to supplant the somewhat underpowered six-cylinder 280SE, the V8-powered, W111-Series 280SE 3.5, in both Coupe and Convertible form, was of immediate appeal to wealthy customers who were accustomed to having the best quality and workmanship available in an automobile, but didn't need or desire the next step up, the over-the-top 600.

The hand-built body of the new model was slightly restyled, with a cleaner and flatter nose and radiator shell, but was still quite conservative. Beneath the wide hood there now rested a Bosch fuel-injected, 200bhp overhead-cam V8 with 211 foot-pounds of torque designed to deliver excellent performance. One reviewer referred to it as having a "hot-rod"-like persona with a lovely exhaust snarl, while meeting ever-more strict emissions laws in the US, the company's most vital market.

The compact, but sturdy engine was capable of moving this big 4/5-seater to 60 miles an hour in under 10 seconds and offered a top speed in excess of 125mph. Large vacuum-assisted disc brakes at each corner allowed the driver to slow with ease, and handling was described as very comfortable, thanks to its coil-sprung independent suspension.

The craftsmen at Sindelfingen produced just 1,232 of these V8 Cabriolets, making them extremely rare. Both the open and closed versions of the 3.5 were fitted with just about every luxury amenity a buyer could ask for. The few choices remaining pertained to paint and interior trim colors, which model of Becker stereo system was desired, and electric seat-back adjustment. It all added up to an impressively costly automobile, with a starting price exceeding $13,000.


THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This exceptional example of the era's flagship Mercedes-Benz Cabriolet was completed by hand at the Mercedes-Benz factory as a 1971 model-year 280SE 3.5-Liter Cabriolet. Although the elegant and now-classic Mercedes-Benz' early history remains unknown, the car is believed to have been destined for the US market soon after completion at the Stuttgart-based Mercedes-Benz works.

Elegant Medium Blue Metallic paint (DB396) adorns the stunning Cabriolet bodywork as it has since the car left the Mercedes-Benz factory, while the luxurious interior is trimmed in matching blue leather and topped by elegantly polished wood finishes. A matching blue fully padded convertible top is snugly fitted, easy to erect on a rainy day.

Known for their smoothness of operation, the 3.5-liter SOHC V8 under the hood embodies this trait entirely and makes the car effortless to drive, even in modern traffic thanks to ample power on tap. Little can be found in the way of wear (both in the interior and outside) and the chrome shines with prevailing luster. The car is equipped with a classic Becker radio, air conditioning and folding armrests, and the data card on file confirms that it retains the as-delivered yet repainted exterior color of Medium Blue Metallic (396) matched with a dark blue convertible top.

The Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5's desirability stems from a combination of its rarity and effortless luxury and operation. An example presented such as this is surely a must-have for any true Mercedes-Benz enthusiast.