The Mercedes W111 cars were produced by Mercedes from 1959 to 1971. The strongest and most prestigious model came about in 1959 with the Mercedes 280SE 3.5 W111 with the new V8 engine producing 200hp and a top speed of 210 km/h. There were a total of 3270 W111 280SE 3.5l Coupe cars produced. The design from Paul Bracq has stood the test of time and is regarded by many as the most beautiful Mercedes from this era.
Exterior: The restoration of this car was completed in November 2020. And, it is a strange feeling for me to drive a brand-new Mercedes of year model 1971. This Mercedes 280SE 3.5 W111 has undergone a complete restoration to the highest quality level. The solid blue colour is such a great contrast to the cool magnolia leather inside. The name of the exterior colour is “mittelblau” and the paintwork is just perfect. The Mercedes Coupe is rolling on a brand-new set of time period correct Pirelli Cinturato tyres with a thin white line. As you can see in the pictures, this car looks as beautiful underneath as it does on the top. This is a classic car with a lot of road presence.
Interior: On the Mercedes 280 SE 3.5 Coupe, you actually do not need to open doors to see how beautiful the interior is. Since the it has so much clear glass, it is very visible from the outside and it is like stepping into heaven. The brightness inside gives that truly exclusive and luxurious feeling. And in the combination with those dark wood panels and that classic Becker radio, it is just stunning. However, the cockpit has a job to do and that is to give the driver the information of how the engine is doing and let the driver operate the car. All these functions like turn signals, fan, high beam and the instruments are performing as they should. And of course, it has that big electric sunroof! The W111 280 SE 3.5 has a trunk so big that everyone in the family can bring their own suitcase when you go Grand Touring through Europe in this car. There is also a complete set of brown interior carpets. In one of the pictures I have put only the two foot carpets but it is a complete set in brown.
Engine: The 3.5l V8 had a complete rebuild with new pistons and bearings. Also, most of the smaller components that go around the engine are rebuilt or replaced with new. As a result, engine and gearbox now run perfectly. But, it is not only the fact that everything works, when you raise the hood on this car it looks amazing. Every little pipe, bolt and hose has been brought back to new condition. There are many types of restorations out there of classic cars. Many of them are just on the surface with a shiny paint and new interior. I hope you are able to see the extensive work that has been done to this car. It has taken many years and heavy bills to complete what you see here.
History: This Mercedes 280 SE 3.5 Coupe was imported to Sweden from Germany in 1989. The first delivery was on the 28th of August 1970. In 2016, the owner decided to make a complete restoration of this W111 Coupe. It has been documented with pictures along the way. In a way you can say it has been given a new life. If you, at the age of 50, could start all over again, how would you live?
