Lot details Registration No: BHJ432F Chassis No: 11304310004426 Mot Expiry: April 2013
The rarest of the Mercedes-Benz 'Pagoda' (W113) models, the 250SL was introduced at the March 1967 Geneva Salon. Blessed with the same effortlessly elegant Paul Bracq styling as the outgoing 230SL, it was powered by a new, seven-bearing crankshaft, 2496cc SOHC straight-six engine that developed 150bhp and 159lbft of torque - sufficient output to endow the Benz with a 0-60mph time of a whisker under 11 seconds and a top speed just north of 120mph. Suspension was independent all-round by double wishbones and coils springs at the front and swing axle, radius arms and coil springs at the rear. Braking was by servo-assisted discs on all four corners, and steering by power-assisted recirculating ball. The 250SL remained in production for just a single year, accounting for a mere 5,196 sales worldwide.
The example now on offer is a left-hand drive one from 1968. It is a European specification car equipped with manual gearbox whose original owner hailed from Germany. The Benz then moved to America where it had a further two keepers - the first in Santa Monica and the second in Laguna Beach. Apparently it was always garaged during its time in the US and there is no record of it ever sustaining any accident damage. While there, it was maintained and serviced by Frank's Mercedes of Laguna Beach. Following importation to the UK it was allocated the registration 'BHJ 432F', and the vendor currently considers it to be in "beautiful overall condition, and well maintained with many renewed parts". He says it "runs extremely strongly with good oil pressure and sounds magnificent". The Benz is being sold complete with a brand new Black factory hood and original Black hard top, original Becker radio, dealer invoices from new, and a range of manuals, booklets etc. A fine-looking example of this increasingly sought after model.
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