Heroshot

1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SEL 3.5

Limousine
Rétromobile 2020 - Bonhams
Thursday, 6 February 2020
$52,699
Not sold at a high bid of
278
Lot Number
#3+
Unrestored Original
Bonhams
Auction House
Chassis No. 10805810006511. Silver over red. 3.5-liter, 200-hp V-8. 4-speed manual. Wheel covers, air conditioning, cassette stereo, and wood dash.

Evaluation: Unrestored original | Ex-Luciano Pavarotti. He kept it in Modena, where it has remained through subsequent ownership. Dull but presentable chrome and brightwork. Severely scratched window frames. Scratched wheel covers. Good, likely original paint. Clean underneath. Tidy interior with clean wood and good upholstery. The manual gearbox is noteworthy and the celebrity ownership adds some cachet. Given how nicely it has been preserved, it’s probably too good to restore.

Bottom Line:  There’s celebrity cachet to this car, but in the car world, Luciano Pavarotti is no Steve McQueen. The rare combination of limo body and manual transmission probably attracts more bidder interest than the connection with everybody’s favorite tenor. It could have gone to a new home at the reported high bid. 1970 Fiat Dino

by Hagerty Insider
1 February 2020

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