1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Coupé
- Engine
- 3.5L V8 SOHC, Bosch electronic fuel injection, 200 bhp at 5,800 rpm
- Colour
- Dark red
A low-mileage 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Coupé, finished in Dark Red over original Cognac leather, representing the final iteration of a coachwork lineage dating to 1959. Built at Stuttgart in April 1971 and held by its first owner in Washington State for over four decades, the car retains original glass, chrome, interior, and mechanical components. Fewer than 42,500 miles are recorded, and the car has been awarded a Silver Star Certificate by the Mercedes-Benz Club of America.
Ownership
- 2019-01-17Auction saleEstimate US$150,000 – US$180,000
- 1971-04-01 → 2015Factory deliveryWashington state gentlemanpartial documentation
Original purchaser who kept the car for the majority of its life; ownership ended upon his death when the vehicle was liquidated as part of his estate.
- 2015 →Private saleMB Classics, Costa Mesapartial documentation
California-based dealer that acquired the car from the estate sale, performed cosmetic detailing and mechanical servicing, and later oversaw a repaint to the original factory dark red shade along with further refurbishment in 2017.
Competition
- —Mercedes-Benz Club of America Silver Star CertificateSilver Star Certificate awarded
Recognized by the Mercedes-Benz Club of America for the car's superior original and preserved condition.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2015ServiceMB Classics
Cosmetic detailing and mechanical servicing carried out following acquisition from the estate sale.
Work performed at MB Classics in Costa Mesa, California.
- 2017Mechanical
Replacement of the radiator core along with additional mechanical servicing and minor cosmetic touch-ups.
- —BodyworkMB Classics
Complete repaint to the factory-original Dark Red colour; described as the car's first and only repaint.
Timing not precisely stated but occurred during MB Classics' ownership after 2015.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.