Mr. Dang Le Nguyen Vu’s passion for car collecting is anything but ordinary, with a recent shift in focus from supercars like Porsches, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis to the rare and unique classic cars. And when it comes to these vintage beauties, the rarer and more extraordinary, the better for this avid collector.
In a recent sighting on the streets of Saigon, Mr. Vu surprised many by driving a Mercedes-Benz 280 SL, a car that isn’t very common in Vietnam. This sleek ride has quietly found its way into his garage, adding to his impressive collection.
Many are now wondering what other classic Mercedes-Benz models Mr. Vu, the Chairman of Trung Nguyen, might have up his sleeve. So far, he’s been spotted driving not one but two different Mercedes-Benz 190 SLs, as well as the 560 SL, and now the 280 SL.
What sets the Mercedes-Benz 280 SL apart from its predecessor, the 190 SL, is its distinctive tall and boxy roof design. Affectionately nicknamed the “pagoda roof,” this unique feature, along with its aluminum hood and door panels, contribute to the car’s reduced weight.
The Mercedes-Benz 280 SL is one of the products of the Mercedes-Benz W113 family, following the 230 SL and 250 SL. Introduced in December 1967, it remained in production until February 23, 1971, when it was replaced by the significantly heavier 350 SL.
During its five-year market presence, the 280 SL evolved from a sports car into a large, comfortable touring car. Typically, US-spec models were equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and air conditioning.
The manual transmission models came with a standard 4-speed gearbox or an optional ZF 5-speed unit, which was only ordered 882 times, making it a highly sought-after original option today. In Europe, the manual transmission without air conditioning remained the predominant choice. Of the 23,885 280 SLs produced, more than half were sold in the United States.
The main upgrade of the 280 SL was its M130 engine, with a displacement of 2.778 cc (2.8 L) and a maximum output of 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) and 180 lbft (244 Nm) of torque. This finally provided the W113 with the power it deserved. The performance improvement was achieved by increasing the cylinder bore by 4.5 mm, which required separating the existing cylinder molds into pairs to improve heat dissipation with cooling water conduits between all cylinders.
The M130 engine marked the final evolution of Mercedes-Benz’s venerable M180 SOHC straight-six engine, before it was replaced by the entirely new M110 DOHC straight-six engine introduced with the 1974 European 280 SL R107. For a time, it was also used in the W109 S-Class 300, where it replaced the expensive M189 alloy six-cylinder engine.
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