Description

Built in 1964 and originally registered in Germany; imported to Italy in 2000. Since then, over €60,000 has been spent on routine and major maintenance, with the majority of the work documented by official Mercedes invoices.

Currently registered in Italy, it holds an ASI Certificate of Historical Significance (CRS) valid through 2025.

Incredibly and exceptionally, the car comes with all its original Mercedes booklets, including the service book and the owner's manual.

The bodywork, mechanical components, and upholstery are all in excellent condition.
A hardtop is available upon request.

Model history and curiosity

The Mercedes-Benz 230 SL (W113 series), unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1963 and produced from 1963 to 1967 (with 1964 marking its first full year on the market), is famously known by the nickname "Pagoda." This moniker stems from the concave design of its removable hardtop, conceived by designer Paul Bracq and engineer Béla Barényi.

The hardtop's recessed shape was not merely a stylistic choice but offered practical advantages: it improved structural rigidity, increased headroom, and ensured superior panoramic visibility thanks to slender pillars and expansive windows.

The 230 SL is powered by a 2.3-liter inline-six engine (M127.II) featuring Bosch mechanical fuel injection, capable of delivering 150 hp and propelling the car to a top speed of approximately 200 km/h.

It was the first sports car designed with a safety body featuring programmed deformation—a rigid passenger cell with shock-absorbing front and rear zones—and equipped with standard front disc brakes.

The 230 SL simultaneously replaced the legendary 300 SL "Gullwing" and the more accessible 190 SL. Mercedes-Benz successfully balanced sportiness with a high level of everyday driving comfort, defining the modern concept of a luxury grand touring roadster. In 1963, it also demonstrated its ruggedness by winning the grueling Spa-Sofia-Liège Rally, driven by Eugen Böhringer.

The car could be ordered in four main configurations: Roadster (soft top only), Roadster with Hardtop (both roofs), Coupé (fixed hardtop only, no soft top), and the rare California Roadster version (featuring a folding rear bench seat in place of the soft-top compartment). Transmission options included the standard 4-speed manual and an optional 4-speed automatic; a rare 5-speed ZF manual transmission was introduced in 1966.

The interior was designed with a meticulous focus on safety, featuring a padded dashboard free of sharp edges, a steering wheel with a collapsible hub, and a single multifunction turn-signal lever.

First-series W113 models (1963–1964) are particularly sought after by collectors for the purity of their original design, including features such as rear drum brakes and period-correct interiors rich in chrome metal detailing.

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