This 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 coupe is one of approximately 3,270 examples produced between 1969 and 1971, and it was first owned in California. The car is finished in Blue Metallic over parchment leather and is powered by a 3.5-liter V8 paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. Equipment includes 14″ steel wheels with covers, disc brakes, US-specification headlights, three-point seat belts, power windows, an AM/FM stereo, and air conditioning. It was acquired by the current owner in 2025, and subsequent work involved replacing the seat covers, tires, valve cover gaskets, and air conditioning components. This W111 coupe is now offered on dealer consignment with manufacturer’s literature, a data plate, records from the recent work, and a clean Oregon title.
The car came finished in Blue Metallic (396) and was repainted under prior ownership. Equipment includes a wrap-around rear window, front vent windows, US-specification headlights, a “low-style” grille, and chrome bumpers.
The 14″ steel wheels feature bright-finished covers with color-matched centers and were mounted with 205/75 Travelstar UN106 tires in October 2025. The suspension includes an independent double-wishbone front setup with coil springs along with a rear single-joint swing axle. Stopping power is provided by power-assisted disc brakes at each corner, and the car is equipped with power steering.
The cabin features individual front seats and a rear bench that were fitted with replacement parchment leather covers in September 2025, while blue carpets line the floors. Wood trim accents the dash and A-pillars, and amenities include three-point seat belts, power windows, a dashboard-mounted clock, and an AM/FM stereo. The air conditioning compressor and receiver/dryer were replaced in preparation for the sale and the seatbelts were re-webbed.
The two-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring and fronts a 160-mph speedometer, a tachometer with a 6,500-rpm redline, and auxiliary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 80k miles, less than 100 of which were added under current ownership.
The 3.5-liter M116 V8 features Bosch Jetronic fuel injection and was factory rated at 200 horsepower and 211 lb-ft of torque. The valve cover gaskets were replaced in 2025. Compression test results are viewable in the gallery.
Power is delivered to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission, which was serviced in August 2025.
Decoding the data plate reveals the following information:
- 249 – Rear window, electrically heated
- 491 – US version
- 503 – Outside rear view mirror, left
- 513 – Becker radio
- 531 – Automatic antenna
- 586 – Behr air conditioning and electric windows
