1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Sedan

Description

The Mercedes-Benz S-class has long been regarded as the pinnacle of German luxury motoring, and the birth of this tradition can be traced back to the original W108 and W109 models of 1965. With timeless, understated styling by Paul Bracq, major advances in safety and big improvements to the beautifully appointed cabin the new S-class set the standard in luxury motoring at the time. Initially powered by a range of six-cylinder engines, the W108 and closely related longer wheelbase, air suspended W109 saloons were joined in 1970 by a powerful new V8 model specifically designed for the American market. The single-overhead camshaft M116 3.5-litre V8 used Bosch's latest fuel injection system and developed a healthy 200bhp, transforming the S-class into a high performance businessman's express, capable of reaching speeds of almost 130mph on the autobahn. The 280 SE 3.5 was normally equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission using a fluid flywheel but a small number were sold with the four-speed manual gearbox and in some markets, on the longer wheelbase platform. In production for less than two years, the 280 SE 3.5 was built in limited numbers and just 11,309 left the Stuttgart factory between March 1971 and September 1972 - the vast majority of these going to North America, with surviving examples few and far between in Australia. The original S-class retains an elegance somehow missing from its younger cousins, the combination of classical styling, period 1960s interior fittings and a powerful V8 motor succesfully bridging the gap between classic and modern.