Lot 107: Mercedes-Benz 280SL

When the 107SL was introduced in 1971, it had to uphold the reputation of the very successful "Pagoda" model, which had been in production since 1963 and had proved to be very popular. The 107 continued the same basic design but was a little bigger and somewhat heavier than the "Pagoda". The disappearing hood mechanism and removable hard-top remained and the engine options now included the 3.5 litre V8, which powered the new saloon range. The 107SL was a hugely successful model, which remained in production for 17 years, largely unchanged. Engine options expanded to include a 2.8 straight six and V8's, which expanded to 5.6 litre by the end of the production run in 1989. This example is a 280,with the straight six, 2746cc engine and automatic transmission, which has an MoT through to Oct 2008 and tax through to August. The vendor states that he has owned the car for three and a half years and that he purchased the car from an owner in Belgium, although the car was UK registered until 1989. Said to have been stored for some years, prior to the vendors ownership, the car is described as being in generally good condition, relative to its age. The vendor believes that the engine may need some attention but is unclear as to what the exact problem may be. The car has recently been equipped with a stainless steel exhaust system.