The elegant styling and undeniable appeal of the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL “Pagoda” made the German two-seater popular at the time of its first availability in the 1960s. Its long-lasting charm has sustained demand as a coveted collector car since then.

The 230 SL debuted in 1963 and would be steadily improved upon, first with the 250 SL in late 1966, with displacement of its inline six-cylinder engine enlarged from 2.3 to 2.5 liters, followed a year later by the final iteration on the W113 chassis, the 280 SL, with displacement further increased to 2.8 liters. Production lasted until 1971 but its appeal with collectors and enthusiasts persists to this day, particularly with beautifully presented examples such as the one offered here.

This early Signal Red over black vinyl 280 SL is a US-market car that was equipped new with the coveted optional “Pagoda” hardtop in matching Signal Red. Other factory features include single seats, power steering, a floor-shift automatic transmission, front and rear bumper guards, instrumentation in miles, a driver-side outside mirror, a Becker Europa radio, and whitewall tires. While manual examples are rarer, many collectors, including the consignor, feel that an automatic transmission is more fitting to the nature of the 280 SL.

Over the past two decades, this lovely "Pagoda" has remained within the cherished ownership of the same family. While under their care it has been enjoyed on a regular basis and benefited from continual routine maintenance. Additionally, an aftermarket air-conditioning system has been added to improve the car’s specification to its most ideal open-touring configuration.

As presented, this 280 SL indicated fewer than 76,000 actual miles at the time of cataloguing. A timeless classic that has only become more desirable as the years have passed, this attractive 280 SL is a delightful and approachable example of this storied model.