1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL

The Mercedes-Benz 280SL was the last of the popular and successful line that began with the 230 SL of 1963. The 280SL was introduced in 1967 and came with a new 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine that offered 180 horsepower, 20 additional horsepower over the preceding 250 SLs. The 120 mph top speed was the same as the 250 SL and could go from zero-to-sixty mph in 10 seconds, a whole second faster than its predecessors.

The 'SL' moniker began in the 1950s and was synonymous with 'Gullwing.' The start of the high volume SL models began in 1963 with the W113 chassis or 'Pagoda' cars and continued through 1971. These were the last of the hand-built Mercedes-Benz and they offered a level of sophistication and driving experience that was reminiscent of the original 'SL' cars.

Mercedes-Benz introduced an all-new roadster known as the 230SL in the spring of 1963, replacing the 190SL and 300SL. The 230SL 'Pagoda' wore styling by Paul Bracq and given a two-seater configuration and design that followed the company's new design language, with crisp lines and upright headlights. On the grille was a prominent three-pointed star in reference to the iconic 300SL. The hood, trunk lid, door skins, and tonneau cover were formed from lightweight aluminum.

The name 'Pagoda' was in reference to the slightly concave roof on the optional removable hardtop that resembled a pagoda roof.

The 280SL, introduced in 1967, was the third and final iteration of the 'Pagoda.' It rested on the same modified W111 chassis that came with a rear swing axle, an independent front suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. The 2.8-liter engine used Bosch fuel injection and developed 160 horsepower in US-market examples. The engines were slightly modified to comply with emissions standards and to compensate for the loss in performance, the rear-end ratios were changed in these US-market cars to offer greater low-end acceleration.

During this era, it was common to produce models for the prospective country in which they were to be sold. Thus, the 280SL was built in US-spec and European-spec examples, and although US-spec examples were often watered-down versions of the manufacturer's original intent, the two SL versions were seemingly similar. The Euro-spec 280SL came with Bosch fish bowl headlamps, instruments in KPH, and was often offered standard with a four-speed gearbox. Along with the visual differences, the U.S. versions can be identified by the designation in the serial number, '113 044 12' as opposed to the Euro-Spec versions of '113 044 10.'

The 280 had the same modified W111 chassis with a rear swing axle, an independent front suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. After a year of production, the 2496cc engine was enlarged to 2778cc thanks to an enlarged bore. Also new was an optional ZF five-speed manual gearbox with various final-drive ratios. Body styles included a roadster, coupe, and coupe roadster. Pricing began at $6,490 for the roadster.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019