Chassis No. 111.026.10.001722

When the final W111 coupe left Sindelfingen in July 1971, it closed an unrepeatable decade of hand-built production. The two-door models were constructed away from the main assembly lines in the plant's special-vehicles department due the high level of trim that needed to be hand fitted to each car. With the pillarless roofline changing little since 1961, for the final cars, Mercedes-Benz redesigned the nose with a lower, wider grille and a flatter hood. The "low grille" look made them easily distinguished from earlier W111-generation coupes. The biggest change was found just beneath it. The 280 SE 3.5 Coupe and Cabriolet were the first series-production two-door Mercedes-Benz models to carry a V8, the all-new M116.

The 3.5-liter V8, with a single overhead camshaft per bank and Bosch electronic fuel injection, was rated at 197 horsepower. That was enough to take the coupe from rest to 60 mph in under 10 seconds and past 120 mph. It also launched a family of Mercedes-Benz V8s that stayed in production for more than two decades.

Most 3.5 Coupes left the factory with the four-speed automatic. This example was specified with the four-speed manual transmission and floor-mounted shifter, a selection now highly prized by the most astute collectors. Fully restored under prior ownership, it is finished in elegant Midnight Blue with a Parchment leather interior and equipped with Behr air conditioning, power windows, and a Becker Europa stereo. An ivory steering wheel echoes the Airy and inviting Parchment interior. In October 2026, the car was serviced by the Mercedes-Benz Classic Center USA. It shows just 15 miles at the time of cataloging, likely the total covered since its comprehensive restoration.

Restored and freshly serviced, this Midnight Blue coupe presents Paul Bracq's elegant W111 lines at their best. Its floor-mounted manual transmission, fitted to only a small share of 3.5 Coupes, puts every gear change of the M116 V8 in the driver's hands.