1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL

The W113 280 SL represents the final and most capable iteration of the Pagoda series, and this 1969 example has been comprehensively rebuilt by Hemmels through their Neugeboren programme — a ground-up restoration completed in 2019 that returns every component to as-new condition while elevating the craftsmanship throughout. Having covered fewer than 1,000 miles since completion, it is effectively a new car in a 57-year-old body, with the restoration paperwork and known history that serious collectors require.

The specification choices are deliberate and striking: Bentley Silver Lake Metallic over a Rolls-Royce Navy Leather interior, with a matched blue soft top sitting beneath a colour-coded removable hardtop. Hemmels have also applied their own engine performance enhancement to the M130 2.8-litre inline-six — the engine that distinguishes the 280 SL from earlier W113s, offering stronger torque and smoother delivery than the 250 SL it replaced — alongside a stainless exhaust, polished manifolds, and undercarriage lacquer protection. A refined audio upgrade and USB charging have been integrated without compromising the period character of the cabin.

For restored Pagodas, provenance and execution separate the exceptional from the merely good. The Hemmels name is well-regarded in the classic Mercedes world, and the near-zero post-restoration mileage suggests this car has been preserved rather than used. At this level of restoration quality, a 280 SL with a credible history and correct specification is among the most usable and appreciating classics available.