Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet

The 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet was the top of the W111 range and the last car to carry the upright "Heckflosse" body, here in its final form with a flatter nose and cleaner radiator shell. Built by hand at Sindelfingen, only 1,232 cabriolets were made. The M116 V8 is a 3.5-litre with overhead cams and Bosch fuel injection, a clear step up from the six-cylinder cars.

This left-hand-drive example was built in June 1970 and shipped new to the United States, as an official Mercedes-Benz dating letter confirms. It was bought from a Pebble Beach, California owner, the car's second, and it keeps its original Horizon Blue paint with a dark blue hide interior. It is the desirable floor-change automatic, with Behr air conditioning, electric windows and a Becker Europa radio with electric aerial.

It shows 56,000 miles. A comprehensive refurbishment in 2016 included a bare-metal repaint, major servicing and a new six-layer mohair hood. The original driver's book pack, with manual, service guide and air conditioning handbooks, is present, as are the original tool kit and jack.