Recent 365,000 CHF (£346k) restoration by MB Classic Centre!
Totally restored regardless of cost by Mercedes-Benz Kestenholz in Basel
Astonishing history file dating back to 1965
Supplied with its original, fully-stamped service book!
Sold new in Jersey, accompanied by its original paper logbook!
Ultra-rare RHD "Königsflosse" 300SE Fintail
More expensive new than the average UK house!
Twice the price of an E-Type in 1965
Fuel-injection, air-suspension, power-steering and more
Arguably the very best Mercedes Fintail for sale in the world today
Ideal for Concours entries and the Goodwood Pre-66 Car Park

By 1965, Mercedes truly had regained their crown as being at the pinnacle of highly engineered, luxurious and well built automobiles. Always revolutionary, the new Fintail line was no exception to Mercedes reputation for engineering brilliance. Launched in 1959, the "Heckflosse" Fintail was the first production car with front and rear crumple zones and it of course debuted Mercedes revolutionary new design language which would go onto influence the remainder of Mercedes lineup for the remainder of the 1960s. Named after their iconic tailfins, the Fintail was an immediate success in the W110, W111 and W112 iterations. The W111 represented the standard S-Class model and was available with numerous engines and varying levels of trim, the W110 meanwhile was slightly downmarket and shorter than the 111 and acted as the equivalent of today's E-Class.

At the time of the Fintail's launch, Mercedes luxury flagship model, the W189 300 was on its way out and production finally ceased in 1962. Mercedes was left without a flagship and their upcoming legend, the 600 wasn't to be launched until 1963. It was therefore decided to elevate the W111 further with a new, ultra-luxurious, high performance option, one that could carry on the 300 name and provide a stopgap. Cosmetically, the car was tastefully upgraded with increased brightwork, delicate polished metal trims adorning the front and rear arches, a chrome strip running down the car's side-crease and and around the fin. The 300SE badge was embellished with chrome lines forming a frame around the badge, making it clear that this was no ordinary Mercedes.

The interior of the car was truly an occasion. The cars came standard with leather and featured significantly more wood and chrome than the other models and were much more on the level of a Rolls-Royce or Bentley than the typical Mercedes of the time. The most substantial changes for the W112 were to be found underneath. The 300SE was aptly powered by a 3 litre, fuel-injected straight 6 and all 300SEs came standard with automatic transmission, power steering and air suspension. At its launch, the Mercedes 300SE cost £4,000 at a time when the next most expensive Fintail model, the 220SE only cost £2,200. A Jaguar E-Type was around £2,000 new and the average UK house price in 1965 was between £2,300 and £3,600, the 300SE being significantly more valuable, truly putting into perspective just how expensive and important these cars were in period. Such was their grandeur that the car was fondly nicknamed "Königsflosse" or Kingtail in English.

As a result of their incredible price when new, not to mention the increased taxes and duties at the time for foreign vehicles, these cars were and remain exceptionally rare in RHD. This breathtaking Weissgrau over Rot example was sold new in 1965 to the Chanel Island of Jersey. The car remained in the same family from new until 2019 and comes with phenomenal early history, including its original bookpack, period Britax seatbelt literature, a Jersey parking disc and most importantly and rarely of all, a stamped service book. The car was supplied new by Jackson's Garage who are still in business today and was subsequently serviced by them to within an inch of its life. In 1965 alone, the car was serviced three times and there are many years when the car was serviced 2, 3, sometimes 4 times within a year, all by Jackson's. The car also comes with its original Jersey Paper Logbook which shows the car being passed down through the original family.

In 2001, the car had a comprehensive restoration with a company in Essex before returning back to its Jersey home where it remained until 2019, at which time the car was sold to a new owner in Switzerland. Clearly a fastidious car collector, the new owner commissioned a nut and bolt, ground up restoration by Kestenholz Classic in Basel, a Mercedes-Benz authorised dealer and Classic Partner. At their classic centre, the car was restored to an astonishing level and is without a doubt the best Mercedes Fintail we have ever seen. Over the several years the car was restored, the total cost of this restoration came to a grand total of 365,000 CHF which equates to £346,000 at today's exchange rate. The car remains in its original, spectacular livery of Weissgrau with Red leather and is very simply the best available, regardless of hand of drive. Accompanying the car is almost a thousand photos and videos fastidiously documenting the monumental restoration of this Mercedes, resulting in the truly unrivalled car you see today. The car is truly ideal for global Concours events or even just as a beautiful way to arrive in the Pre-66 Goodwood Car Park. Mercedes' slogan for years has famously been "Das Beste oder Nichts," The Best or Nothing. No Fintail better represents that philosophy than this 300SE, exclusively available at DD Classics.

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown