Description
This is a very interesting and rare car, It is a 1985 Mercedes-Benz 280SL, finished in the beautiful Diamond Blue Metallic with Black Leather Interior. What is interesting is that it was specified from new with the 5-Speed Manual Gearbox instead of the normal Automatic option. This changes the whole character of the car, making it far more nimble than you would think. The gearbox is a pleasure to use also and makes you wonder why they are so rare! Our car has been been with its last owner for 17 years, has covered a low 93k Miles from new and has a Fresh MOT with no advisories!
In 1971 Mercedes-Benz launched a new range of convertible sports cars to replace the much loved Pagoda. Longer and wider than its predecessor the new W107 chassis featured front and rear crumple zones to meet the latest crash protection standards and was, inevitably, heavier. Like its forebears the newcomer was more sports-tourer than outright sports car and came equipped with all-independent suspension. At first fitted with 3. 5 and 4. 5 litre V8 engines Mercedes nimbly responded to the 1973 oil crisis by introducing a 2. 8 litre model in October 1974. Its straight six twin-cam engine with Bosch electronic fuel injection produced 185 DIN horsepower at 5800 rpm, providing a very respectable top speed of 118 mph. When fitted with a manual five speed gearbox 0 – 60 mph was reached in around 9. 5 seconds, with the car being restrained by four wheel hydraulic disc brakes. Badged as the 280SL the model offered a delightful combination of styling, comfort, economy, and relative ease of maintenance when compared to its more complicated V8 siblings, and some 25, 500 units were produced until it was replaced in 1985.
Our car was ordered new and collected from the Factory in April 1985, she was originally specified in Diamond Blue Metallic, Black Leather Interior with the Manual Gearbox, Mexican Hat Alloy Wheels, Becker Avus Radio Cassette, Soft Top in Dark Blue and Colour coded Hard Top. We have the original service book and owners manual in the book pack. There are 14 stamps in the service book and the car had a body restoration in 2022 costing over £6, 000. We have nearly every MOT from new also. The car looks great but is a little bit scruffy in the detail, the soft top has a tear, the seats have a few seams that are splitting and the body has a few areas that would benefit from tidying up. Importantly she has a new MOT with no advisories! It is ready for you to add value to a great car or simply use as it is, she drives really well. The Manual gearbox is incredibly rare and desirable, and the colour and condition of this car make it stand out from the crowd. The car also comes with a valuable private number plate GIW722 into the bargain and please check also the price!
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