1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Flachkühler Cabriolet
- Engine
- 3.5L V8, twin aluminium-alloy cylinder heads with single overhead camshaft each, Bosch electronic fuel injection, 200 bhp
- Colour
- Light blue
A rare 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, one of only 1,232 built, featuring the desirable floor-shift gearbox and the distinctive 'flat radiator' bodywork that marked the final evolution of a coachwork lineage stretching back to 1959. Delivered new to a German family in Schwarzenfeld and believed to have covered fewer than 82,000 kilometres, the car passed through several documented German owners before being repainted in its original light blue colour scheme by a previous owner. A 2017 DEKRA inspection certified the cabriolet as restored to a high standard.
Ownership
- 2019-10-11Auction saleEstimate €375,000 – €425,000
- 2022-05-13Auction saleEstimate €300,000 – €380,000
- 1971-07-06 → 1982Factory deliveryCremer familyfull documentation
Original recipients of the car upon new delivery to Schwarzenfeld, Germany. The vehicle remained registered under the same plate throughout their tenure.
- 1982 → 1987Private saleDr. Gottfried Cremerpartial documentation
Ownership transferred within the same family unit, with the original registration retained.
- 1987 → 1999Private saleHeiko Seekamppartial documentation
Described as a well-known collector based in Bremen, Germany.
- 1999 → 2007Private saleWolfram Krusepartial documentation
Kept the vehicle within Germany; a repaint to a darker blue shade occurred around the end of or after his ownership period in 2007.
- 2014 → 2020Private salePrevious owner before currentpartial documentation
Had the car returned to its factory light blue colour. A DEKRA inspection in 2017 confirmed very high restoration standards.
- 2020 →Private saleCurrent vendorpartial documentation
Kept the vehicle in professional storage as part of a private collection, with limited seasonal use.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2007Bodywork
Exterior repainted in a darker shade of blue, departing from the original factory colour.
- 2014InspectionDEKRA
Technical inspection carried out by DEKRA.
- 2017InspectionDEKRA
Detailed DEKRA condition and valuation assessment confirming the car's high-standard restoration, uniform paint thickness, and interior quality.
Report noted patinated original seats, new carpets, functioning restored switchgear, and a new soft top.
- —Restoration
Comprehensive restoration including a professional respray back to the original light blue colour, renewal of carpets, and refurbishment or replacement of switchgear; soft top replaced with a new dark blue unit.
Work was carried out prior to or during the 2014–2020 ownership period; a 2017 DEKRA report assessed paint finish and overall presentation as excellent.
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