Mercedes-Benz 230 SL Pagoda / Vollrestauration

Description:
A vehicle can appeal in many different ways performance, quality but something that is perhaps more important than anything else is the design. The first feelings you get when you first lay eyes on an object can be more important than any other. This was something Mercedes was well aware of when, in the early 60s, Paul Bracq was brought in to design the car that would fill the shoes of the legendary W121 SL series.

Paul designed this hugely beautiful roadster, a car that feels more like a work of art than an actual car. Today, the car is widely known as one of the most beautiful vehicles ever made with simple shapes, clear features from previous models and classic proportions. The car was sold over the years with three different engine options, with this example being a 230 SL. But the car is probably better known for its nickname, a name it got as a result of the slightly concave roofline. Pagoda.

The example we have in front of us is, as previously mentioned, a 230 in timeless silver with the classic color-matched rims with a polished edge and with a dark red softtop that provides a nice contrast. Bumpers, grill and a number of other details in the exterior are in the same high-gloss polished finish. The inside offers an equally timeless color palette with black leather upholstery that is contrasted by chrome details and complemented by wooden parts. The instrument panel allows the exterior color to shine through and in front of you is a thin beautiful ivory colored steering wheel and something very unique to this example is what is found in front of the passenger. Paul Bracq's signature in black above the glove box lid. A detail that the current owner added after meeting Paul himself. He himself, like many artistic characters, was rather self-contained and signing his own works is something he very rarely did. Which adds something completely unique to this car.

The car started its life on the American west coast and around 2014 the car came back to Europe to undergo a total restoration. Something that is of course well documented. In 2016, the car came to Sweden, where it has since been used very sparingly and remains in a condition that is difficult to describe in any other way than being 'starstruck'. A car that really has to be experienced.

The car naturally comes with the hardtop that gave the car its nickname. A binder with documentation, manuals and the like as well as a large collection of photos from the restoration.