Mercedes-Benz 280C - 1973

Mercedes-Benz’s W114 “/8” series arrived in 1968 as the firm’s thoroughly modern mid-size line, with the elegant pillarless Coupé (factory code C114) following in 1969. The range-topping 280 C appeared for model year 1972, bringing the then-new M110 2.8-litre DOHC straight-six to the stylish two-door body. With twin Zenith carburettors, the 280 C was rated at about 160 PS (DIN), sitting just below the fuel-injected 280 CE (circa 185 PS).

The W114 story is one of breadth and depth: Mercedes sold well over 1.9 million W114/115 “Strich Acht” cars (sedans and coupés combined), but the coupés were built in far smaller numbers, giving them an exclusive, grand-touring aura. The 280 C’s arrival marked a key upgrade over the earlier 250 C’s single-cam engine, delivering smoother high-rev character and stronger performance without sacrificing the marque’s famed refinement. A 4-speed manual was standard (a 5-speed was rare in some markets), with a 4-speed automatic highly popular—especially in export markets.

In 1973, the facelift brought visible and invisible upgrades: chunkier bumpers with rubber inserts, ribbed tail lamps that stayed cleaner in bad weather, new mirrors and interior details, improved safety kit (head restraints, better belts), and running changes to cooling, electrics and emissions. Late cars gained transistorised ignition and further carburetion tweaks to meet tightening regulations, while US-spec models wore larger federal bumpers and different lighting.

Competition was formidable: BMW’s E9 2800/3.0 CS, Opel’s Commodore GS/E Coupé and, later, the Fiat 130 Coupé hunted the same aspirational buyer. Period testers praised the 280 C’s bank-vault build, long-legged ride, low wind noise and effortless cruising—often noting that the BMW felt sportier, but the Mercedes was the consummate gentleman’s express. The 280 C also proved a favourite of film and TV car wranglers: C114 coupés appear frequently in 1970s-set European crime dramas (Derrick, Tatort) and more recent period pieces such as The Serpent, where their clean Paul Bracq-era lines and pillarless profile instantly signal the era.

Beyond aesthetics, the 280 C’s significance lies in how it cemented Mercedes’ mid-size coupé formula: durable engineering, discreet luxury and authentic GT capability. It previewed the template that the later C123 and C124 coupés would refine. When production ended in 1976, the 280 C had given Mercedes a sophisticated, reliable and quietly quick halo above the ubiquitous W115 taxis—proof that the same platform could do duty from workhorse to weekend gran turismo without losing its identity.