The 300 SE was Mercedes-Benz's flagship offering at the time of its introduction in 1961. While its legendary counterpart, the 300 SL Roadster, showcased the automaker’s race-bred pedigree, the 300 SE represented the pinnacle of sophistication, concealing beneath its elegant coachwork some of the era’s most advanced automotive engineering. Known internally as W112, the 300 SE featured only the best Mercedes-Benz had to offer, including a fuel-injected 3.0-liter overhead-camshaft engine, self-leveling pneumatic suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and copious chrome, leather, and wood trim, all wrapped in an era-defining Paul Bracq design.

A testament to the enduring appeal these cars impart, this magnificent 300 SE Cabriolet has remained in the care of just one owner for nearly 50 years. Completed in January 1963, it left Mercedes-Benz’s Sindelfingen production facility finished as it presents today in Medium Blue over Light Grey leather and optioned with single seats, heat-insulated glass, paint preservation coating, whitewall tires, black fabric soft-top, export license plates, and Italian-specification signal lamps, likely indicating its delivery destination.

In the ensuing decade, the cabriolet would successfully traverse the Atlantic Ocean and establish itself stateside before being acquired by the consignor in 1976. After many cherished decades together, in 2015, the consignor and his 300 SE Cabriolet embarked on what would become a comprehensive multi-year restoration. The work included completely rebuilding its numbers-matching engine and pneumatic suspension system, fresh Medium Blue paint, new Light Grey leather upholstery, and rebuilding a previously installed, period-correct air-conditioning system. European-style headlamps were also reinstalled to properly accentuate the breathtaking simplicity of Bracq’s visionary design. Hundreds of accompanying photographs detail the painstaking, nut-and-bolt restoration process while a data card copy confirms its numbers-matching engine and original build details. Also included in the sale are period brochures, manuals, correspondence, and photographs following its life over the past five decades.

Benefiting from an extensive restoration to the finest standards, this effortlessly fashionable and incomparably comfortable 300 SE Cabriolet asks for nothing but a discerning new enthusiast to continue its storied legacy.