Personal luxury automobiles have been a favorite for many people for years. But which car was the first to claim this title is still up for dispute. A worthy contender for the title is the Mercedes-Benz 280SL that came into existence in 1968 and continued until 1971. The original W113 design was the 230SL, introduced in 1963 with the crisp, angular Paul Bracq styling and “Pagoda” removable hardtop, which would become the model’s signatures. The original 150 horsepower six-cylinder grew in size over the decade, with the ultimate model being the 280SL with the 180 horsepower, 2.8-liter engine, introduced in 1968 and built through 1971. The 280SL was the most popular W113, accounting for 23,885 cars.

When the car came to the American market, it was accepted immediately. With this immediate success as a touring car rather than a sports car, four-speed automatic transmissions and air conditioning were added, overshadowing the rarer ZF five-speed manual transmission without air conditioning.

Under the bonnet of this Pagoda is a 2.8-liter inline six-cylinder engine producing 170-hp. This nicely restored car is finished in an extremely rare color combination with an Ivory Crème over a medium green hardtop. It also has medium green MB-Tex interior and the original soft-top finished in medium green German canvas. This 280SL is nicely detailed, including the engine compartment, and comes with the tools and books as expected with this classic Mercedes-Benz 280SL.