
This 1972 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 4.5 is finished in Tobacco Brown (423) over Cognac MB-Tex and was acquired by the seller approximately five months ago. Power is provided by a naturally aspirated, fuel-injected 4.5-liter V8 paired with a three-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. Equipment includes power windows, power steering, air conditioning, a Becker radio, and steel wheels with body-color hubcaps and whitewall tires. Maintenance under current ownership includes replacement of the alternator, battery, drive belts, brake fluid reservoir, and tires, along with engine oil and transmission fluid changes. The five-digit odometer shows 5,838 miles and is inoperative; the seller reports 105,838 miles, with true mileage unknown and approximately 100 miles added during their ownership. Disclosed needs include floor corrosion, a brake booster requiring replacement or rebuilding, and several inoperative accessories. This 280SE 4.5 is now offered by the private seller in Denver, Colorado with one set of keys, books, tools, recent service receipts, and a clean Colorado title in the seller’s name.
The body was repainted in its original Tobacco Brown (423) under prior ownership and retains chrome bumpers, window surrounds, side moldings, and a hood-mounted Mercedes-Benz star. U.S.-market lighting includes stacked headlamps and side-marker lamps. The seller notes dings, paint blemishes, and other cosmetic imperfections throughout, with detailed views provided in the gallery. An approximately 10-by-10-inch area beneath the driver’s floor is described by the seller as surface corrosion. The right lower headlamp is inoperative.
The 14-inch steel wheels wear chrome hubcaps with body-color centers and Milestar whitewall tires installed during current ownership with 2025 date codes. Braking is provided by four-wheel discs with ventilated front rotors. The brake fluid reservoir was recently replaced, and the seller notes that the brake booster requires replacement or rebuilding. The parking brake is reported to operate.
The cabin is trimmed in Cognac MB-Tex with coordinating door panels and carpets, a dark dashboard pad, and wood veneer across the dashboard and around the windows. Appointments include front headrests, folding center armrests, power windows, a Becker radio, and air conditioning. All four power windows are reported to operate. The radio is inoperative, and the heating and air-conditioning controls require attention due to jammed levers. The headliner sags toward the rear, and wear to the interior surfaces and trim is shown in the gallery.
The steering wheel wears a brown wrap and features a chrome horn ring surrounding a Mercedes-Benz center pad. VDO instrumentation includes a 160-mph speedometer, an analog clock, and gauges for fuel level, coolant temperature, and oil pressure. A gear-position indicator sits below the instruments. The speedometer, odometer, and cluster illumination are inoperative. The five-digit odometer displays 5,838 miles, reportedly representing 105,838 miles following a rollover, although true mileage is unknown.
The naturally aspirated 4.5-liter M117 V8 features Bosch D-Jetronic electronic fuel injection and sends power to the rear wheels through a three-speed automatic transmission. Mercedes-Benz rated the engine at 195 horsepower and 264 lb-ft of torque. During the seller’s approximately five months of ownership, the alternator, battery, drive belts, brake fluid reservoir, and tires were replaced, and the engine oil and transmission fluid were changed. Receipts for this work accompany the sale. The seller reports that the engine starts easily and runs strongly. A photograph of the rear underbody is included in the gallery.
The car is accompanied by receipts for maintenance performed under current ownership; earlier service records are not available. The seller reports adding approximately 100 miles since acquiring the car five months ago. One set of keys, books, and tools are included, and the car carries a clean Colorado title in the seller’s name.
Tobacco Brown, Cognac MB-Tex, painted hubcaps, and whitewalls make a convincing case for keeping a W108 looking exactly like a W108. The tall glass, slender pillars, and generous wood trim give these sedans a character that still feels distinctly Mercedes-Benz, while the 4.5-liter V8 adds an appealing dimension to the experience. This example has received recent maintenance, but the brake booster, floor corrosion, and inoperative equipment give its next owner a clear list of work to address. For someone who enjoys improving a classic over time, the appeal here is the combination of period colors, V8 power, and a cabin that retains much of its original atmosphere.
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