Author Topic: Pininfarina up for auction (Read 7434 times)

Rahul · « **on:** July 16, 2022, 02:27:57 »

Looks like the one-off Pininfarina is up for sale this summer:

https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1964-mercedes-benz-230-sl-coupe-speciale

johnk · « **Reply #1 on:** July 16, 2022, 03:22:06 »

I will be there this year. Looking forward to seeing this car.!

AdelaidePagoda · « **Reply #2 on:** July 16, 2022, 03:42:13 »

Does anyone know why Mercedes’ did not proceed with manufacture of this shape/ model?

dirkbalter · « **Reply #3 on:** July 16, 2022, 03:53:50 »

Granted, Pininfarina is a great name and has produced beautiful car designs, I don't think that's one of them. I think our Pagodas (with a hard top) look much better than this coupe.

Rahul · « **Reply #4 on:** July 16, 2022, 04:24:31 »

I agree Dirk, to me it appears like an awkward attempt to cross a pagoda with a 330 GT, but to each their own!

Be interesting to see how much it goes for

Cees Klumper · « **Reply #5 on:** July 16, 2022, 04:32:35 »

Many years ago, I came across a set of Pininfarina studio promotional photos, black and white, of this car. I bought them and sent them to the then-owner, so they could be part of the documentation. The owner sent me a very nice thank-you note. Will be interesting to see whether they are still with the car. I agree it's not the prettiest of designs.

Garry · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2022, 06:36:25 »

Having seen this car in person, i can tell you it looks stunning and far better than the photos.

Garry

Raymond · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2022, 13:15:06 »

Having sat in the car and had a lengthy conversation with the owner, I can tell you is is very, very well done and beautiful. It was originally done for a wealthy woman who wanted to customize her car. It was never a factory project. There was an article in The Star some years ago showing it in black paint. I think silver is nicer.

Jonny B · « **Reply #8 on:** July 16, 2022, 15:38:18 »

I have seen this car up close several times when it was at Hjeltness restoration and one time at Pebble Beach. In the wild it is a spectacular thing to see.

Silver was the original color - for the custom that is. I think it was even in red for a time.

It will be MOST interesting to see what it brings.

mdsalemi · « **Reply #9 on:** July 16, 2022, 16:26:17 »

This one off Pininfarina is legendary of course. It's in great hands with Gooding and will bring in the appropriate amount for the current owner, and also grace a new deep pocketed owner's garage.

However, be reminded that the final "as produced" iteration of the W113 body shape was only approved after a very long set of styling exercises. I've seen a lot of them while at Paul Bracq's in 2011, and he shared a number of these with me some of which were presented on p101 of Pagoda Style.

Interestingly, one of the first design exercises for the W113, from March 1959 has the "swoopy" coupe like look of the Pininfarina model, though this design exercise was done with wraparound glass for the rear window. When you are not having to fabricate such glass, or make a car with it, it's real easy to design with it! On the Pininfarina model, a more conventional rear window was used.

For those that know more about the Pininfarina and have seen it, it looks like this is truly a coupe with the top not being removable?

MikeSimon · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2022, 21:16:58 »

Quote from: Jonny B on July 16, 2022, 15:38:18

I have seen this car up close several times when it was at Hjeltness restoration and one time at Pebble Beach. In the wild it is a spectacular thing to see.

Silver was the original color - for the custom that is. I think it was even in red for a time.

It will be MOST interesting to see what it brings.

Last trip to Germany, I bought a classic car magazine that had an extensive article about that car. It had pictures of it in red also.

Rolf-Dieter ✝︎ · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2022, 23:54:31 »

Say what you will, I prefer the Pagoda design.

Just got myself a new 27" iMac (one of the last), and this is my Desktop background.

Dieter

AdelaidePagoda · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2022, 02:49:22 »

It is not a style for everyone’s taste and agreed the Pagoda is beautiful in comparison. The best three design angles from the Gooding photo deck are 1) Front on 2) Dash 3) Engine bay.

Given its rarity and recent wild prices, any bets on its final price? USD$10M plus?

Rahul · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2022, 13:19:34 »

$10mm??? Yikes, I think I'd take a gullwing, a roadster, a pagoda and have plenty of change to build my collection of dream drivables...

Cees Klumper · « **Reply #14 on:** July 17, 2022, 14:15:11 »

I would think a reasonable price would be around $250-300K. If $10 million is in the cards, why not $100 million.

Jonny B · « **Reply #15 on:** July 17, 2022, 20:17:14 »

I don't believe the top is removable.Check out several the interior shots showing the B pillar.

lreppond · « **Reply #16 on:** July 18, 2022, 18:40:40 »

I saw this car at Pebble Beach many years ago. Make no doubt about, in person, it’s breathtaking! It retains the greenhouse effect of a stock pagoda but looks slightly more streamlined and fluid. Did Pinnafarina improve on Bracq’s design? Well that is to be determined by the eye of the beholder. Suffice it to say, it’s a classic design that reflects more of an Italian aesthetic than German. What the final hammer price will be is anyone’s guess. Ideally, it’ll go to a museum to be enjoyed and studied by many as opposed to a private collector.

ChrisInNashville · « **Reply #17 on:** July 18, 2022, 18:51:11 »

I predict $2.8million

zak · « **Reply #18 on:** July 18, 2022, 21:17:16 »

I like the Italian sophistication that the sloped rear window adds and the interior top, top quality. The Ferrari reference is apt. But I prefer the understated stock Teutonic Pagoda style.
Needless to say that the car is in perfect condition inside and out and the Gooding photos are top quality.
An enjoyable read. Thanks for posting,

jz

66andBlue · « **Reply #19 on:** July 19, 2022, 22:57:10 »

Quote from: Cees Klumper on July 16, 2022, 04:32:35

Many years ago, I came across a set of Pininfarina studio promotional photos, black and white, of this car. I bought them and sent them to the then-owner, so they could be part of the documentation. The owner sent me a very nice thank-you note. Will be interesting to see whether they are still with the car. I agree it's not the prettiest of designs.

Hi Cees,
you probably forgot the discussion from a few years ago but your photos were still with the car when the Weston Hook family had it restored at Hjeltnes. See: https://www.sl113.org/forums/index.php?topic=6435

The car was designed by Tom Tjaarda, an American (of Dutch heritage) who studied architecture at Michigan, started his career at Ford and then went to Italy to become "one of the world’s most accomplished Italian car designers." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Tjaarda.
He was honored at Pebble Beach in 1997 at the "Corso Italiano", where the car was displayed and he put his signature on the firewall (see my photo).
Too bad you never actually saw the car, I bet you would change your mind!

Don't miss this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL2xGsJfJ6Y

Shvegel · « **Reply #20 on:** July 23, 2022, 09:49:09 »

If they are estimating it as 1 million plus I would guess that is probably the reserve. They know it's a little over priced but the owner wants his mil so they are trying to push it over the finish line. Without shill bidding I am guessing it would bid to the high 6 figures, The owner holding out for a 7th digit will result in a no sale.

At a million you are almost to a 300SL roadster...Tough choice.

Mike Hughes · « **Reply #21 on:** July 23, 2022, 12:42:49 »

Regardless of how we may feel, it is one-off, coachbuilt by a respected Italian house, penned by a famous designer, and has graced the greens at Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este. For those who make the 300SL comparison, one only has to contrast the current auction value of a series production Gullwing to the crazy money brought by the Uhlenhaut Coupe. There are two of those, there is only one of these.

PSB · « **Reply #22 on:** July 23, 2022, 15:16:03 »

The price it will reach depends on who wants it ( how much money they have and if they want it ). As an example there are a a few thousand billionaires around. A one off can make all the difference .... As someone pointed out here regarding a 300 Sl versus the "special one " sold for 100x the 300sl price . If one of them want it and they pay a million USD it maybe the equivalent of me paying a a couple of thousand for a car I really want .
Would I pull out of a car I really want because I would have to pay 4000 instead of 3000 or 2000 or 1000 ? Unlikely . And to be clear I am very far from wealthy and work for a living . Having a 80k pagoda for me is like one of these guys paying a few hundred bucks for the same . All very relative .of course it's not a steadfast rule .
About 15 years ago an old friend come to portugal to buy a holiday place . He only had a few days and had asked my opinion on a shortlist . He arrived . Saw the shortlist . Undecided on 2 options he bought both for a few million each . Said he didn't have too much time to really decide so once he spent more time here he would decide and sell the one he didn't want . My wife was a bit stunned until I said to her " imagine we were undecided about 2 places, rushed for time but didn't want to risk losing either places .... And they cost us about 5000€ each , would it be so absurd to buy both ?? Maybe sell one later and possibly take a 500 loss .... Would it be that reliant ?" That was his case . Btw he actually made a very nice profit when sold the "rejected" later .

rosemeyer · « **Reply #23 on:** July 23, 2022, 17:01:27 »

I am surprised that anyone for a second doubts that 1 million+ is in the cards for this car. As others have pointed out, the 230 Pininfarina coupe plays in a completely different market to the W113 cars upon which it is based. It ticks all of the boxes for any world-class Mercedes Benz Collection, or European car collection for that matter. It is a one-off collaboration between some of the most famous names in the automobile world, it derives from one of Mercedes' best loved models, and it has absolutely impeccable provenance. The comparisons with the Ulenhaut Coupe in this context are completely appropriate.

Consider it this way. Every Mercedes collection in the world worth mentioning has a Gullwing. Only one collection can have this car. In a world of truly deep pocketed players where one-upsmanship is part of the landscape, the Pininfarina Coupe could easily, IMHO, eclipse the price of a Gullwing. If MB corporate gets involved to secure it for their collection then we really might be surprised at the number it brings.

Price aside, I am also happy to see that Gooding's usually high level of presentation allows us to have access to a catalogue of beautiful photos of this unique car.

Best Regards,
Paul

Desertpagoda · « **Reply #24 on:** July 25, 2022, 02:37:05 »

Interesting that it is fitted with a K4 auto trans, yet the vin# is 113-042 10

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Author Topic: Pininfarina up for auction (Read 7434 times)