1968 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

Stunning Dark Blue over Tan Color Combo - Hard and Soft Top - Factory Air Conditioning
- 2.8L Inline 6-Cylinder FI - Classic Pagoda

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Unlike a car badged as a “LE” or “LX”, a number followed by a “SL” badge has a certain ring to it. “SL” stands for “Sehr Leicht”, which translates from German to English as “very light”. A purchase of a car like this 280SL may make your pocketbook a little lighter, but what a magnificent vehicle to spend your money on! This 280SL is finished in a stunning color combination of Midnight Blue over a Tan interior. A matching Midnight Blue, chrome trimmed Pagoda hardtop adds to the allure of this beautiful Autobahn-bred sports car.

The W113 Generation Mercedes Benz vehicles, which this 280SL is a part of, are stylish, elegant cars that range from sedans, to the SL. This particular SL is a handsome, sophisticated car especially in the color combination you see here. It looks as though it belongs on the cover of GQ Magazine with a suave actor standing next to it. Turns out that the W113 Generation Mercedes Benz SL's were mentioned in GQ Magazine in January of 2010 as one of the most stylish cars of the past 50 years. It was on the list with other recognizable vehicles like the Aston Martin DB5, Porsche 911, Cadillac Type 62 Eldorado, Jaguar XKE, and Ferrari 250GT Lusso.

This SL was carefully restored fairly recently, which is evident thanks to the condition of the paint, body panel fitment, and the condition of the chrome and brightwork. The combination of body color and chrome on the wheel covers adds to the elegant look of the car itself without being too flashy. Of course the “pagoda” hardtop is hard to miss on this generation SL, when they're mounted to the car that is. According to the number plate beneath the hood, this car was shipped with the pagoda top on the car with the soft top folded. Some SL's were ordered with no hardtop, others with no top of any sort, and still others were shipped with the pagoda top in a separate crate.

The interior is finished in tan which compliments the Midnight Blue extremely well. As you would expect, the interior is comfortable and features well integrated luxury features. The instrument cluster features chrome trimmed, easy to read VDO gauges, textured chrome trim, and body colored sections. From the driver's seat the simple gear lever and large steering wheel are close at hand. A KühlMeister air conditioning unit is mounted below the dash and offers multiple vents for passengers.

“Superleggera” as many Italian cars are labeled, may roll off the tongue a little easier than “Sehr Leicht” but we can bet that the German counterpart is more reliable than an Italian sports car of the same era. Under the bulbous hood is a 2.8 Liter Inline-6 which features fuel injection, and is mated to an automatic transmission. 180 horsepower is transmitted through the rear wheels offering smooth acceleration. The engine bay may not be all that attractive with more hoses than you can shake a stick at, but that long aluminum valve cover shines through, wearing the three-point star with pride. The underside of the car has picked up some dirt over the years, but is solid.

GQ added the W113 SL cars to their most stylish cars of the past 50 years list, and hopefully with a good look at this car, it may be a contender to be added to your collection. The sophisticated looks, powerful engine, and the handsome color combination on this particular Benz should have you taking this car into consideration. Be sure to check out all the photos and video on our main website: Garage Kept Motors. Call if interested or e-mail with any questions. Thank you for looking.