280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, remains one of Mercedes-Benz’s gems – Historic Cars and Motorcycles

In the history of the Three Pointed Star, the Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet model of the W111 series is certainly one of the most luxurious and, still today, unique. The perfect combination (and we are in the late 60s) between the perfection of technology, performance, but also comfort and ‘image’.
It was introduced when the sedan it was based on was ‘mature’ (10 years after its launch in 1959, the 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet remained in production with this 200 HP 8V 3.5 engine until 1971, for a total of 1,232 examples produced.
It’s clear that a car with this good looks around the French Riviera as well as in California has managed to fetch progressively higher prices, reducing the possibility of ownership to a small number of collectors.
It is therefore more than justified that the Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet passed through the Brabus Classic branch for what the German specialist describes as a ‘six-star restoration’.
Taking into account the cost (698,000 euros), however, it is more correct to say that the operation managed by Brabus experts – in terms of bodywork, mechanics and equipment of the four-seater ‘open air’ cockpit – is a complete construction. .
It is clear that everything is completely new, as when the car rolled off the German assembly lines in 1969, after 16 hours of work dedicated only to assembling the soft top.
And that the number that appears on the total odometer is precisely zero. After all, Brabus Classic says that “driving this model is like turning back the calendar to 1969, when the car was built.” Or rather until 1971, which is the year of the actual registration.

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