As I was winding down what was quite a long week Friday evening, I happened to catch the original Thomas Crowne Affair on one of the upper cable channels. This was a fantastically scripted movie with one vehicle featured prominently throughout: a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 2-door sedan with coachwork by H.J. Mulliner, Park Ward Ltd. Built in very limited numbers, this was a gentleman’s express of epic proportions, with vast amounts of wood and leather to ensconce those fortunate passengers inside and a pushrod V8 under the bonnet with “adequate” horsepower. This 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SE Coupe for sale in California could almost be considered that car’s contemporary, but with a decided German slant. Even though it might look a bit classic, it was thoroughly modern, with a 4-speed automatic gearbox, Bosch fuel injection and four-wheel disc brakes. Want to be the envy of the forecourt at the country club? Here’s the perfect coupe to do it in.
Tag: 280SE
I was sitting at my local pub yesterday, watching football while winding down my weekend, when suddenly a glint of chrome across the block caught my eye. It was a W111 Mercedes-Benz Coupe. Sitting in the passengers seat, a dog stuck his head out the window as the car passed through the intersection, looking pleased with life. Wouldn’t you be cruising around in such a classic? Besides a vintage British roadster, I can’t think of anything better to enjoy these crisp fall days here on the East Coast than with a pillarless Mercedes-Benz coupe. This 280SE for sale in California was repainted about a decade ago, but wears a mostly original patina.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Coupe on eBay
1 CommentThe awesome looking 4-speed 280SE from 1977 that I wrote up in late July has reappeared on the marketplace, having not sold the first time around. This car appears to be really unique and well presented and would certainly turn heads at any show. I especially love the AMG-spec wheels and Euro-goodies that slim down and beef up the S-Class just a bit. At $12,000, this seems like a good deal for a great vintage Benz:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1977 Mercedes-Benz 280SE on eBay
The below post originally appeared on our site July 26, 2014:
Comments closedI’ve said before that the W116 is a love/hate car for me; most times, I see them and they just look like any tired old Benz; a bit out of proportion and over-bumpered. But then I see a great example, like some of the Euro-spec 6.9 models I’ve written up in the last few weeks, and I get a bit giddy. Though not really my dream car by any means, I can imagine cruising up to a Cars and Coffee event, or a German Car Day somewhere in my massive Benz. That vision is helped when I see one in full European trim; the slim bumper lines and cleaned up light clusters make it so much better. But while most of my adoration is levied upon those 6.9 models, this car might just change that. Compared the largest engine fitted in the W116 6.9, this car seems downright puny with only a 2.8 liter inline-6. What helps that, though, is the manual transmission and some of the missing luxuries that help lighten the load. Top it off with some AMG bits, and my does this car look tasty!
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1977 Mercedes-Benz 280SE on eBay
5 CommentsAsk anyone what their favorite classic Mercedes-Benz may be and no doubt many will point to the 300SL Gullwing. This limited production sports car put Mercedes-Benz on the map in the United States shortly after the end of World War II and established its reputation as an innovator in automotive engineering. One of my favorites from years gone by in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio is a dark horse to many. Sure, even the uninitiated may instantly recognize the W111 Coupe as a Mercedes-Benz. Few, however, know of a powertrain combination that was available late in the production run that would make this classic an ultimate sleeper. This would be the 280SE 3.5 Coupe with the rare 4-speed manual option. A mere handful made it to the US and production figures are said to barely break into the three figures. This 3.5 Coupe for sale in Texas was sourced from California, having been stored for a number of years. It’s not in pristine condition, but is far from a basket case.