Description
Offered for sale is an incredibly preserved, honest and solid two California owner 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SE “Low Grill” 6 Cylinder Coupe, one of only 413 built. Delivered to Kimball Motor Company of San Luis Obispo (the local Mercedes dealer), the car was used as a showroom example and promotional vehicle for the better part of a year, finally sold new to Mr. and Mrs. Bill Flory of San Luis Obispo. The Florys were fastidious and obsessed over the car, using it regularly (and carefully) and maintaining it to the highest possible level. They kept the car until 1980, when it was purchased by a long time Montecito resident who extended the careful ownership the Florys exhibited until we were fortunate enough to have acquired it from him this January. The result of its doting two-owner history is arguably one of the best preserved, original, solid and honest examples in existence.
Finished in Tunis Beige Metallic (DB 462) over a dark brown leather interior, the car is impeccably tasteful and sophisticated and presents beautifully. All of the panel fit is excellent and the body is free of dings, scratches, etc. All of the glass and chrome is in exceptional condition and color-matched hubcapped wheels are wrapped in correct white wall tires with plenty of remaining tread. The car’s interior is in exceptional original condition, the leather showing only the most minimal of wear and carpets, interior panels and headliner all essentially flawless. The Behr air conditioning and Becker Grand Prix radio work as they should, as do all of the gauges, lights, power windows, etc. The car’s trunk and undercarriage are also in incredible condition and, benefitting from dry California ownership, are entirely solid with the original sealants and undercoating still in place. An additional picture of the undercarriage will be added early next week once we’ve had a chance to get the car up onto a lift, or feel free to email us for additional undercarriage pictures.
Mechanically the car is superb, starting easily, idling smoothly and consistently and pulling strongly and smoothly through each of the gears. The car drives and brakes straight and is entirely comfortable, whether tooling through town or cruising down the highway. One of the reasons the late W111 “Heckflosse” cars have become popular significant collector cars (in addition to their timelessly elegant lines and superior build quality) is that they have the best of both worlds mechanically – reliability and a modern drive quality, yet still retaining a vintage feel. They could easily be daily driver cars, which is a stretch for the earlier, smaller engined models. That this car is in such great shape is a testament to it’s fastidious owners. Included with the car is every single manual and book, including the original window sticker and a full stamped service manual documenting dozens upon dozens of services throughout this car’s faithful lifetime. Now all it needs is a new owner to continue that level of care, enthusiasm and appreciation. Considering their rarity and the astronomical prices that their cabriolet siblings are fetching, W111 Coupes have long been undervalued in most classic car enthusiasts minds. That’s not always going to be the case, so it’s our opinion that they represent excellent investment upside. Finding “Low Grill” W111s is hard enough as it is, but finding a preserved and honest example such as this is perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity.
