Lot 209: 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Roadster with Hardtop

The 280SL represented the final refinement of the Mercedes-Benz 230SL introduced at The 1963 Geneva Auto Show. The designers of the 230SL had been challenged to create a car that could replace both the race-bred 300SL sports car and the mild 190SL sports tourer in the Mercedes-Benz lineup. The new car would be a luxury sports car offering more than adequate performance, but without the typical compromises found in street-driven racecar derivatives.

Poised on a rather short 94.5-inch wheelbase, the new SL had a broad stance for a sports car that, coupled with the superbly engineered four-wheel fully independent suspension, made for an exceptionally stable, yet responsive ride.

The squared lines of the new SL exhibited a cool formality that was more dinner jacket than racing uniform. However, when a new SL won the 1963 Spa-Sofia-Liege rally, an event compared by some to the Mexican Road Race, it was evident that the 230SL had the stamina of a true competitor.

For 1967, the engine was enlarged to 2.5L displacement and the car was rebadged as the 250SL. Then, in 1968, a new engine was introduced and the 280SL was born. This final iteration of the 1963 original was powered by a new-generation 2.8L Mercedes-Benz six using Bosch fuel injection and a 9.5:1 compression ratio to develop 180 horsepower at 5750 rpm. The 280SL would be produced without further major change through 1971.

Mercedes-Benz had clearly found a previously unclaimed ‘sweet spot’ in the market with the 230/250/280SL. The tautly styled convertible accounted for an impressive 48,912 sales between 1963 and 1971. Many were delivered to first-time Mercedes-Benz owners attracted to a prestigious and luxurious imported convertible that was fun, but not challenging, to drive.

The offered 280SL is a 1969 model and is equipped with the optional 4-speed automatic transmission. It was a one-owner vehicle before being recently acquired by the vendor. The odometer reads 87,745 miles at the time of consignment. The vendor states the car has been repainted once since original delivery to the present garnet. In addition to the owner’s manual and original tools, full service records from new are included.