Every decade has its style icons. The 1960s brought us go-go boots, bouffant hairdos, and kipper ties, but none aged nearly as well as the Mercedes-Benz W113 series of two-seat roadsters. The W113 was the original “car as accessory.” It was expensive and impractical enough to demonstrate one’s wealth, but it was also small and peppy enough for easy motoring through city traffic. It was sporty enough to be fast and fun to drive, and it was also comfortable enough to be luxurious. A universal car of style and flair, the W113 was always appropriate for any occasion, and it had the unique ability to make anyone look good in it.

The original W113 design was the 230SL, and it was introduced in 1963 with the crisp, angular Paul Bracq styling, which would become the model’s signature. The original 150-horsepower inline six-cylinder grew in size over the decade, culminating with the ultimate 280SL. The 280SL was introduced in 1968 and built through 1971, and it was powered with a 180 horsepower, 2.8-liter engine. The 280SL was the most popular W113, with 23,885 of them being produced.

The particular 280SL being offered is presented as a nicely executed older restoration with the car finished in its original color combination of Dark Olive with Cognac leather interior, featuring the unusual third seat option that can accommodate a third passenger by them sitting sideways behind the front seating. Among the mechanical and cosmetic features are a four-speed automatic transmission, a correct Becker Europa II AM/FM radio, a black cloth soft-top by Haartz, removable hardtop, 300SL-style chrome wheel covers with the star emblem, conservatively-sized whitewall tires and power four-wheel disc brakes. The engine compartment is reported to be professionally detailed and remains in excellent condition.

Now, as then, a 280SL is always in style, and it is an essential part of any collection of European sports cars from the Swinging Sixties.

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