25/05/2022
A gorgeous example of a coveted pillarless coupé, 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3,5-Litre Coupe V8 (W111)
This Mercedes-Benz Coupé an outstanding, stylish German classic. Its timelessness, hand-crafted build quality and overall performance offer an attractive package for a wide range of drivers and collectors. The W111 280 SE 3.5 was Mercedes’ first post-War coupe that offered more than 3 litres. The fuel injected V8 proved to be a good companion. Being quick, reliable and stylish, it’s no wonder this luxurious automotive wannahave has a vast fanbase.
Although both the Coupé and Cabriolet were based on the same W110/W111 platform as the saloons, it required a lot of coachbuilding to finish them. Not as bespoke as the 600, but still an honourable amount of craftsmanship skills went into the W111 Coupé build. No plastic trim was used, to say the least. The (W110/111/112) saloons were better known als “Heckflosse” – German for their pointy tail fins – and already had a good reputation, even some in rallying. With the W111 Coupé and Cabriolet Mercedes-Benz took both styling and finishing to the next level. A facelift was introduced, just before the arrival of the desirable V8-powered versions, which flattened and modernized the overall design.
Road & Track described the renewed W111 Coupé as follows: “One of the best-looking body designs to come from any German concern. With its beautiful design and exceptional proportions, this series is an instant classic”. After Mercedes had decided they would stop coachbuilt cars on the assembly line the W111 3.5 was their craftsmen’s goodbye present to the world, but it also introduced a new vision on mass production: to build cars that would be relevant for their entire lifetime, even 20-30 years after production. The W111 280 SE 3.5 Coupé doubled that easily.
Frenchman Paul Bracq designed and styled several models for Mercedes-Benz for over a decade, when he was chief of design. When he joined the design team, led by Friedrich Geiger, the W111 was already penned by Geiger himself. At first Bracq started to work on the infamous Pagode hardtop roofline, before he started to re-style the W111 Coupé and Cabriolet just before their introduction. A major difference were the flattened tail fins and steep rear end, that’s why the appearance of the two-door W111s differ so much from their 4-door counterparts. Bracq already left Mercedes – after he got homesick and then designed the TGV, back in his home country- when the facelift and 280 SE 3.5 were introduced, but he still had a great influence on their styling. Bracq had lowered the hood and grill under the final supervision of Friedrich Geiger. And gone were the chubby Mercedes looks. Together they pushed Mercedes-Benz into the modern era.
The W111 played an important role in the history of Mercedes. It paved the way to an integrated approach within the design team, where road safety and platform strategy were no longer side subjects. Engineers and designers started to really understand each other’s language – still without the inconvenient interruption of the marketing and finance department. As a result the W111 was the first car that used the architecture as we still know it today in car design when we look at passive safety.
From the 3270 W111 3.5 Coupés that were made, just over a hundred examples were equipped with the manual gearbox. Although the automatic wasn’t poor on performance, the self-operated gearbox added a bit of sportiness that was well received. A sprint to 100 kmh just took a little over 8 seconds, compared to the 9.4 of the automatic. Top speed was a bit higher too, with a good 210 kmh. Driving the W111 3.5 Coupé could make you feel King of the Autobahn at the time. You just needed to be aware of any 300 SEL 6.9 or Facel Vega.
The best examples in EU-spec, with the cathedral headlights instead of US stacked headlights, don’t come onto the market that often. Most owners keep care of these cars for a long period of time and have no reason to sell such a great automotive masterpiece at all. This is why the W111 280 SE 3.5 in general has always kept its value more than its relatives.
