The restored Mercedes-Benz 280SE received an AMG V8 engine and a price tag of half a million dollars.

General manager of the American auto body shop Retro Designs, Daniel Valjevac, called the project “strictly one of a kind” and the fastest 280SE ever created, reports Carscoops.

Owners of classic cars often face a dilemma: when installing modern components, the car often loses its historical soul. Retro Designs went a different route. They left the body as authentic as possible, but completely replaced the technical stuffing.

The main transformation is under the hood. The original engine gave way to a 5.4-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine from the Mercedes-Benz C55 AMG. Its power is 367 hp. For comparison: the original engine produced only 158 horsepower. The shop also installed an upgraded suspension and Brembo brakes.

At the same time, the exterior remained almost untouched. The body has been repainted in a modern shade of Axalta Chromax XP Irish Green, but retains the chrome bumpers, huge grille, original headlights and driver’s side mirror. The only modern detail on the outside is the 20-inch wheels.

The interior has a 60s vibe. The chairs have been reupholstered in brown leather, and the wooden inserts and switches have been updated. But the instrument panel, steering wheel, transmission tunnel and gear selector remained original. The only touch of modernity is a small JL Audio radio in the center of the front panel.

The price of the car is 500 thousand (about 40 million rubles at the exchange rate at the time of publication).

Earlier it was reported that Omoda C5 and C7 received the right to sell in the Russian Federation under the Jeland brand.

1969 Mercedes 280SE
Retro Designs 1969 Mercedes 280SE
Retro Designs 1969 Mercedes 280SE
Retro Designs 1969 Mercedes 280SE
Retro Designs 1969 Mercedes 280SE
Retro Designs 1969 Mercedes 280SE
Retro Designs