French registration papers

- Desired 280 SE version
- Nicely presented
- Mechanic gearbox

Introduced in 1959, the Mercedes-Benz W111 range replaced the ageing Adenauer and other 300S models which had been designed after the war and went on sale at the very beginning of the 1950s. Built first as a four-door saloon, the coupé and cabriolet joined the range in 1961. Their perfect build quality, refined interior and six-cylinder in-line engines were all strengths which defined to a tee this new series to bear the three-pointed star. The work of the French designer Paul Bracq, 6305 units of this imposing convertible came off the production lines, in Germany, of course, but also in South Africa, Australia and the Philippines. Among the four versions produced, the 250 SE cabriolet is the rarest, with just 954 models built between 1965 and 1967. Its 2.5-litre straight-six developing 150bhp was mated to ether a manual or automatic gearbox, taking this imposing machine to a top speed of nearly 200kph (125mph). At nearly 5 metres (over 16ft) in length, this remarkable and luxurious automobile is so easy and pleasant to drive that it remains to this day an incredible car.

The car that we present to you in these pages was first registered on October 31, 1968. It is one of the 1,390 convertibles produced with the 2.8-litre 6-cylinder engine. It was originally equipped with left-hand drive and a 4-speed manual transmission, as indicated by its chassis number 111025-10-001616. About twenty years ago, this copy was bought by a father and his son, both garage owners in the Cher region. Specialists in the Alpine A110 and R5 Turbo, this does not prevent them from driving with their imposing Mercedes convertible once the garage doors are closed. Overworked, the two accomplices finally decided to part with their Mercedes, reluctantly. It is one of our customers who then acquires it when he stops in this garage by chance. For the past 6 months, this 280 SE convertible has been entrusted to the Mercedes GAM91 specialist in Morangis for a major restoration. Thus the vehicle was completely dismantled to receive a new paint in its original Blaumetallic colour. The result is superb as the paint has been perfectly applied to the bodywork. The sashes are well aligned, and the original chromes have been taken back. The upholstery has also been restored while the original carpets have been cleaned. The dashboard components have been kept and are in good condition, as is the soft top, which was apparently replaced a few years ago by the former owner. In total, its current owner will have invested nearly €30,000 in the restoration of this car. Mechanically, the revised engine starts normally and runs smoothly, although it shows small misfires around 4,000 rpm when we accelerate at full load. At the wheel, we appreciate to drive this imposing cabriolet, which is just waiting to be driven again by its new owner.

This car will be sold by auction by AGUTTES Auction House, in Lyon, France, on November the 9th, 2019.
The digital catalog will is available on our website
https://www.aguttes.com/en/sale/96041
Please contact us for any further details.
By phone :
+33 437 242 423
+33 147 459 301
+33 668 362 622
By email :
[email protected]