In London in the 1970s and 1980s no car was considered more stylish and hip than the Mercedes-Benz SL series, the W 113 model series, of which there were three models.

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On account of its slightly concave and very distinctive hardtop, designed by Paul Bracq and Bela Bareyi, the Mercedes-Benz SL was dubbed the ‘Pagoda’: although in Asia, a pagoda is a generic term for a place of worship, drivers of the Mercedes-Benz SL series would certainly genuflect to the beautifully achieved vision of the vehicle.

I’ve been reflecting on this at the moment as Beverly Hills Car Club has such a vehicle, an outstanding example, a 1966 Mercedes-Benz 230SL with 2 tops finished in a triple black color combination. Often called the Pagoda because of its distinctive concave hardtop roof design. It is one of the most recognized classic models from Mercedes.

This 230SL is equipped with a 4-speed manual transmission and an inline-six engine, along with fuel injection, front disc brakes and rear drum brakes, power steering, twin exhaust finishers, convertible soft top, removable hardtop, Bosch headlamps, classic VDO gauges, chrome trim and bumpers, side moldings, Mercedes-Benz hubcaps, chrome trim rings, Firestone tires, tool roll, and a full-size spare mounted in the trunk. Interior features include low-back bucket seats, a 2-spoke steering wheel with horn ring, manual crank windows, analog clock, center console, door pockets, glove box, and FM/AM radio.

The Pagoda’s unique roof shape wasn’t just for style, it was engineered by Mercedes-Benz safety pioneer Bela Barenyi to improve structural rigidity while maintaining excellent outward visibility.

This classic vehicle is a testament to the timeless design and engineering prowess that Mercedes-Benz is celebrated for, making it a prized possession for any classic car aficionado. If you’re in search of a classic Mercedes-Benz that combines timeless elegance with heritage, look no further than this 1966 Mercedes 230SL ‘Pagoda’ that is mechanically sound.

Born on March 1 1907 Bela Barenyi was an engineer from Austria-Hungary, who was a prolific inventor, sometimes even compared to Thomas Edison. Barényi made numerous crash protection inventions, and is therefore regarded as the father of passive safety in automotive design.

‘The lives of thousands of people have probably been saved thanks to Barényi’s work.’

Barényi is also credited with first conceiving the original design for the German people’s car (the Volkswagen Beetle) in 1925 – notably by Mercedes-Benz, on their website, including his original technical drawing – five years before Ferdinand Porsche claimed to have made his initial version. In 1994 Barényi was inducted into the Detroit Automotive Hall of Fame, and in 1999 he was nominated for the award of Car Engineer of the Century. Barényi died in Böblingen, Germany in 1997. A Mercedes advertisement featuring Barényi’s image stated: ‘No one in the world has given more thought to car safety than this man.’ Béla Barényi left a broad record of his inventions to the Technisches Museum Wien in Vienna.

The 1953 Mercedes 180 ‘Ponton’ was the first to include the basic Barényi ‘three-box’ design concept, wherein the central passenger-cell is more rigid than the car’s nose and tail ‘boxes’. The first Mercedes-Benz, fully using the crumple zone patents was the 1959 W111 ‘Tail Fin’ Saloon. Barényi gave the ‘Pagoda’ hardtop for 1963-71’s Mercedes SL thick side pillars, to fortify the roof in a rollover.

Paul Bracq, meanwhile, is an automotive designer noted for his work at Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Citroen, and Peugeot.

Born in Bordeaux in France on December 13 1933, Bracq’s design career began in the studio of Philippe Charbonneaux, the legendary French designer, serving as his assistant in 1953 and 1954. During this period, the studio produced the designs for the French Presidential limousine built by Citroen, among others.

Following Bracq’s mandatory French military service from late 1954 through 1957, he worked for Daimler-Benz, heading its design studio in Sindelfingen, a post he held for ten years. Upon joining the Mercedes-Benz styling department he created the distinct coupé and cabiolet variants of already designed W111 and W112 ‘Fintail’ sedans.

He also styled the Mercedes 600 230SL Pagoda roadster, the W108/W109, W114/W115 series and its stablemate: the W114 coupé – all of the ’60s.

Upon his return to France in 1967, Bracq worked for Brissonneau and Lotz, where he worked on the design of the TGV high-speed passenger train led by Jacques Cooper. During this time, Bracq was also responsible for prototypes of a sports car based on the BMW 1600Ti and a coupé based on the Simca 1100.

In 1970, Bracq was appointed design director of BMW.

But it could well be said that for both Bela Barenyi and Paul Bracq, the Mercedes-Benz SL Pagoda stands above all other car designs they have created.

-Alex Manos, Owner