The last Mercedes-Benz cars virtually hand crafted at the Sindelfingen coachworks were the stylish W111 Coupes and Cabriolets, originally launched in 1961 as the 220SE with six-cylinder power lifted from the contemporary saloon range. By the late 1960s, demand for a V8 from the American market saw the introduction of the 280SE 3.5 in August 1969, employing the new M116 engine with five bearing crankshaft, Bosch electronic fuel injection and a single overhead camshaft per bank. This exceptionally refined and modern engine developed a healthy 200 bhp at 5800rpm and was usually found mated to a four-speed automatic transmission, although a small number of manual gearbox cars were built. As the flagship of the Mercedes-Benz range, the 280SE 3.5 Coupe and Cabriolet were given slightly revised styling to go with the new engines, with a lower and wider version of the famous grille plus stacked headlamps. Inside the beautifully appointed cabin such niceties as power windows, air conditioning and four-speaker stereo were all fitted as standard. With production only lasting until 1971, the 280SE 3.5 Coupe is a rare car indeed and in total just 245 were produced with right-hand drive, most going to England and just a handful ever arriving on these shores. Today, the 280SE 3.5 remains the most desirable variant of the collectable W111 range and can still be enjoyed on a daily basis, such was the level of technology and engineering found on these cars.
2009 Shannons Melbourne Winter Classic Auction
