Highlights

• Formerly owned by the late Louis Coetzee, a renowned collector who amassed over 400 vehicles
• Stored indoors for around three decades
• Fully recommissioned mechanically
• Recently resprayed in Dove Grey
• Rare manual gearbox with column shift

The Appeal

An evolution of the W111 platform, Mercedes-Benz launched the Paul Bracq-designed W108 in 1963, introduced in an effort to update the car's styling. Trends were moving quickly during the early '60s and no sooner than the original Heckflosse model been launched, it was already starting to look rather old-fashioned. The W108 did away with the fins and increased the glass area to produce one of the lightest, airiest cabins around. The saloon's new look proved a great success, complementing other cars in the Mercedes-Benz range including the much-loved W113 SL 'Pagoda'.

This 1967 280 S is ideal for UK import as a factory right-hand drive car, delivered new to Johannesburg, South Africa. Once hailed as the best cars in the world, the W108 is preceded by one heck of a reputation and this once certainly lives up to it. Having benefitted from a life spent in a dry climate, (and stored indoors for around thirty years), it's impeccably preserved.

The vendor notes:

"Upon acquisition, this stunning example was fully recommissioned mechanically, and surprisingly, it required minimal work for a car that had been dormant for so long. After an initial test drive, we were so impressed with its condition that we decided to go over it thoroughly to ensure it was in tip-top shape.

The lovely dove grey exterior has just undergone a full respray from front to back. The panel shop noted that this was one of the cleanest W108s they had seen in years, with every panel being straight and the original paint in excellent condition. The result? A dove grey finish that gleams just like it did when it left the showroom floor in 1967.

The cabin retains its original upholstery, which is in superb condition thanks to the dry, preserved climate of South Africa. Every door opens and closes with a reassuring sound that speaks to the quality of craftsmanship."

The History and Paperwork

• Right-hand drive South African market example
• Previously owned by Louis Coetzee, a renowned collector in SA who amassed over 400 vehicles
• Stored indoors for approximately three decades during Coetzee's ownership
• Comprehensive restoration history with recent bills from the past three years
• Mileage shows 1,761 miles on the odometer, reportedly having "clocked" once
• The logbook and service stamps reportedly verify the car's low mileage and initial usage before being put into long-term storage.
• All recent invoices (from the past three years) are available and provide a complete record of its restoration
• Shipping to the UK can be arranged through Freight Factory, a reputable shipping specialist, with regular routes to the UK; expect to budget around GBP 2, 000 for shipping, with delivery taking approximately one month
  
  

The Condition

• Full exterior respray in Dove Grey, we're informed that every panel was found to be be straight and the original paint was intact
• Original upholstery in very good order, benefitting from long-term indoor storage
• The original speakers are still functional, now paired with a retro-modern head unit with Bluetooth functionality
• All brightwork reportedly remains in exceptional condition, and the rubbers around the vehicle are in great shape too
• The underside was thoroughly inspected and treated to ensure the car remains in top condition, it was found to be in very sound order
• Fully refurbished "Mexican hat" wheels with brand-new tyres, including the spare

The Mechanics

• 2.8-litre (2,746cc) petrol straight-six
• Four-speed manual transmission with a column shift - rare
• Fully recommissioned mechanically upon acquisition, requiring minimal work for a car that had been dormant for so long
• Reportedly running and driving very well indeed with no known issues to report

BEFORE YOU BUY