Market Find: Signal Red ’68 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL ‘Pagoda’ in RM Sotheby’s Hershey Sale

This week is RM Sotheby’s Hershey Sale, part of the Hershey Car Week centralized around the Antique Automobile Club of America’s annual national meet in Hershey, PA. Not your typical wine and cheese car week such as Monterey or Audrain, Hershey gets a slightly different mix than you would expect from RM at the more opulent events. We’re particularly appreciative of classic drivers in their mix, and found this 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL ‘Pagoda’ (VIN 113.044.12.001739) to be particularly attractive.

For the uninitiated, the ‘Pagoda’ name comes from the removable hard top produced with these cars, something that made them more luxurious as compared to the other convertibles competing with this W113-generation Mercedes SL from 1963 to 1971.

Like a lot of classic cars, the W113 may have looked ungainly when the less curvaceous R107 with its dual round headlights and larger bumpers debuted in 1971. In the time since then though, the W113 has become more of an iconic classic than its successor, making them highly sought after and collectible with prices often going into six figures.

This particular car is painted Signal Red, a common name of the period for more basic and/or primary colors and often centering around traffic signals – Red, Yellow, Green and Orange. Signal Red then is more of a pure and basic red. It also looks quite good on the 280 SL Pagoda.

Below is the full description of the car listed for sale in Hershey by RM Sotheby’s. You can also link directly to the car on RM Sotheby’s website that includes further documentation and many more photos HERE.

Hershey 2024, Lot 176: 1968 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL ‘Pagoda’

[source: RM Sotheby’s]

• A wonderfully presented, early production “Pagoda”
• Wears factory-correct color Signal Red (568) over black vinyl (131) with matching hardtop 
• Offered from two decades of cherished, family ownership
• Fewer than 76,000 actual miles indicated at time of cataloguing
• Ideal open-air cruising configuration featuring power steering, automatic transmission, and air conditioning

The elegant styling and undeniable appeal of the Mercedes-Benz 230 SL “Pagoda” made the German two-seater popular at the time of its first availability in the 1960s. Its long-lasting charm has sustained demand as a coveted collector car since then.

The 230 SL debuted in 1963 and would be steadily improved upon, first with the 250 SL in late 1966, with displacement of its inline six-cylinder engine enlarged from 2.3 to 2.5 liters, followed a year later by the final iteration on the W113 chassis, the 280 SL, with displacement further increased to 2.8 liters. Production lasted until 1971 but its appeal with collectors and enthusiasts persists to this day, particularly with beautifully presented examples such as the one offered here.

This early Signal Red over black vinyl 280 SL is a US-market car that was equipped new with the coveted optional “Pagoda” hardtop in matching Signal Red. Other factory features include single seats, power steering, a floor-shift automatic transmission, front and rear bumper guards, instrumentation in miles, a driver-side outside mirror, a Becker Europa radio, and whitewall tires. While manual examples are rarer, many collectors, including the consignor, feel that an automatic transmission is more fitting to the nature of the 280 SL.

Over the past two decades, this lovely “Pagoda” has remained within the cherished ownership of the same family. While under their care it has been enjoyed on a regular basis and benefited from continual routine maintenance. Additionally, an aftermarket air-conditioning system has been added to improve the car’s specification to its most ideal open-touring configuration.

As presented, this 280 SL indicated fewer than 76,000 actual miles at the time of cataloguing. A timeless classic that has only become more desirable as the years have passed, this attractive 280 SL is a delightful and approachable example of this storied model.