1972 Mercedes Benz 250ce

Description

Experts agree: the most durable Mercedes carseverbuilt are those of the New Generation W114/115 series, dubbedStrich Acht('Slash Eight'), introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show of 1967. Manufactured for almost a decade, until 1976, and devoid of black boxes and electronic gimmicks whose failures eventually relegate even rust free late-models to the boneyard, Mercedes' New Generation cars are as solid as Sherman tanks and destined to liveforever.

Exceptional longevity, utilitarianism, and value aside, what a collector wants is a car that elevates one's heartbeat by its sheer presence alone. Luckily, in 1968 Mercedes added the 250C to the 'Slash 8' family: an elegantly styled Hardtop Coupé like no other. Unlike its successor, the W123 Coupé, the 250C was built in relatively limited numbers and shared the sedan's longer wheelbase, thus providing plenty of space for 5 tall adults and a cavernous trunk, large enough even for Zsa Zsa's luggage.

Ironically, these wonderful cars have been overlooked by collectors until recently. Doing daily duties for three decades or more, few have enjoyed the care of a single owner, pampering it like a favorite child. Few have been stored in a climate controlled garage, never been repainted or reupholstered, never been involved in as much as a parking lot mishap. Consequently, the car offered here would just be what a collector lusts for: a virginal, all original Coupé, never restored, nor needing restoration, a car that looks like it just left the showroom floor.

The Mercedes-Benz W114 and W115 were a range of sedans and coupes built between 1968 and 1976.

The W114 and W115 were the first production models from the Stuttgart firm to be built on a post-war designed chassis, which utilised rear semi-trailing arms and a ball-joint front end. This chassis design was employed by all Benz models until the creation of Merc's multi-link rear suspension of the '80s.

As well as the sedan and coupe body styles, the W114 was also offered in a limousine guise, which was a long-wheel base version of the standard cars underpinnings.

All W114 models were equipped with a range of inline six-cylinder motors with various sizes of displacement that included a 2.3lt, 2.5lt and 2.8lt.

All W115 models were allocated inline four-cylinder motors, and one inline five-cylinder diesel.

Power from the vast array of Germanic donks was sent to the rear wheels via either a four-speed automatic or four-speed manual transmission.

All-in-all the W114/115 was a profoundly successful model for Mercedes, with over 1.9 million examples being built in its eight-and-a-bit year lifespan.

However, although there was a shedload of these cars built, the coupe variants are much, much rarer than their sedan counterparts, with just over 67,000 coupes being assembled in total.

This W114 is a 1970 250CE coupe and, according to the seller, has travelled an original 75,678 miles from new.

The W114 250CE is $52,895 and anyone interested in this excellent cruiser may make their Best Offers.