MERCEDES SL280 PAGODA, 1968

Chassis/Chassis n. 13.044-12-017863 - Fully restored - Restored blue leather interior - Original colour Silver (cod 180G) - Automatic 4-speed gearbox - Certified ASI Targa Oro (n.12224)) - Rear side panels - Produced for the European market - Fully restored - Restored blue leather interior - Original colour Silver (cod 180G) - Automatic 4-speed gearbox - ASi Gold plate certified (n.12224) - Rear side panels - Produced for the European market In 1961 the top management of Mercedes Benz decided to produce a new spider. The basic requirements that had to meet were three: it had to be brilliant, comfortable and spacious. The design of the body was entrusted to Paul Bracq and Friedrich Geiger. And so in 1963 the first version of the Pagoda was presented. The body was based on the shortened floorpan of the 220 SEb and featured taut but dynamic lines that also showed a certain racing flair. The hard top, which had a concave shape, earned it the nickname Pagoda. Particular attention was paid to the passengers' safety, for this reason the body of the car was deformed in case of violent impact, the interiors were fitted out in such a way as to eliminate any dangerous protrusion and the steering column was made in two sections to avoid possible damage to the chest. Seat belts were available on request and the braking system had a double circuit. The new roadster officially called 230SL, replaced the 300SL Roadster. The 230SL was externally characterized by taut but dynamic lines, which also highlighted a certain competitive ambition, then confirmed by the victory of Böhringer in the Spa-Sofia-Liege Rally in which the house decided to participate in 1963. Of the W111 saloons it retains some traits, such as the vertically developed front headlights. The most peculiar feature was the shape of the hard top, where it was provided, which had a concave shape, something that would give the 230SL and subsequent models W113 the nickname of Pagoda. There were many examples equipped with a canvas soft top, whose owners had also requested a Hard-Top that could be mounted on the car when the soft top was closed in its housing. Although tied to classic mechanical schemes (rear-wheel drive, longitudinal front engine, 4-speed mechanical gearbox), the 230SL also presented some novelties in the mechanics. New was the engine with 6 cylinders in line M127 II fuel injection of 2308 cm³ and 150 hp and new was the rear axle (oscillating axle shafts). The gearbox was a 4-speed manual, but on request it was possible to have an automatic, also with 4 gears; from September 1965, those who wished could also opt for a 5-speed manual. The engine allowed to obtain good performance although, due to the geometry of the rear axle, the car was challenging on wet roads. The mixed braking system with power brakes was up to the task. Top speed was 200 kph. In 1966 the roadster version was joined by the Coupé Hard-top, with a hard top (however removable) as standard and without a canvas hood; the elimination of the hood mechanism allowed the addition of two small rear folding seats. In the same year the Italian designer Pietro Frua created a Shooting-brake version of the 230SL, called SLX. Already in December 1966 the 230 SL was replaced by the 250 SL, identical in every way, except for the displacement (increased to 2494 cm³). Mechanically, the car also received rear disc brakes and a 4-speed manual gearbox was fitted as standard, which could be replaced on request by a 5-speed or 4-speed automatic. The 280 SL was introduced in December 1967 and continued production until 23 February 1971, when the W113 was replaced by the completely new and substantially heavier R107 350 SL. Over the years, the W 113 evolved from a sports car to a comfortable grand tourer, and US models were now usually equipped with 4-speed automatic transmission and air conditioning. Models with manual transmissions were fitted with the standard 4-speed or the optional ZF 5-speed, which was only ordered 882 times and so is now a much sought-after original option. In Europe, manual transmissions without air conditioning were still the predominant choice. Of the 23,885 280 SLs produced, more than half were sold in the United States. The 280 SL was equipped with the new 130.983 fuel-injected engine with its displacement increased to 2778 cm³ and maximum output of 170 hp. Once again, absolute performance remained the same, but the new engine was richer in torque, improving the car's acceleration and acceleration. The 280