Restorations are pointless if you’ve kept something in great condition in the first place. So is the case with this 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet. Towards the end of the 10 year production run of the model, Mercedes-Benz built a wall batch of coupes and cabriolets that used the 3.5-litre v8 engine that would form the basis for Mercedes’ next generation of cars. This is one prime example of that small batch.
![Opumo](https://www.opumo.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/OPUMO-1.jpg)
What’s even more rare about this car is that it’s largely in original condition. The green leather upholstery of the interior and the carpeting is unchanged. A few years ago the engine bay and chassis were finely detailed and in October of 2018 this Cabriolet earned AACA National Senior Award honours.
So, a largely unchanged, award-winning, limited run Mercedes-Benz is up for sale and you have the change of owning it, what are you waiting for?
For full auction information, head to the Gooding & Co website and be sure to follow them on Instagram, @Goodingandcompany, to keep up to date with all of their latest lots.
All images copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company.
Photos by Anna McGrath.
If you’re on the hunt for a more affordable classic, then check out this 1973 Ford Escort RS1600.