Mercedes-Benz 230SL Pininfarina Coupé

Vehicle Overview

The Mercedes-Benz 230SL Pininfarina is a unique and captivating chapter in automotive history. Just two months after the world premiere of the new W113 230SL at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1963, Karl Wilfert, head of the coachbuilding department at Mercedes-Benz’s Sindelfingen plant, received a proposal from Pininfarina to create a new coupé based on the W113. Permission was granted, and Pininfarina, a leader in crafting individual original bodies, embarked on the project. During the 1960s, it was not uncommon for bespoke bodies to be created from production models, and the Turin-based Pininfarina was at the forefront of this practice. The design of the 230SL, known for its distinctive “pagoda” roof designed by Paul Bracq and Bela Barenyi, was initially met with mixed reactions due to its unconventional appearance. This reaction likely motivated Pininfarina’s desire to present its own vision of the 230SL. Pininfarina held an internal competition for a two-seat coupe design based on the 230SL. The winning design came from a young 28-year-old American designer, Tom Tjaarda. Tjaarda chose to retain the platform, interior, most of the glass, optics, and radiator grille of the original 230SL while reimagining the bodywork. His design considered the possibility of small-scale production or even replacing the original bodywork with his design at the Mercedes-Benz factory. The silver Mercedes-Benz 230SL Pininfarina Coupé made its debut at the 1964 Paris Motor Show. The car received positive feedback, and about thirty potential customers expressed interest in ordering one. However, the coupe remained a one-off and was sold to German newspaper tycoon Axel Springer, earning the nickname “Springer Pagoda.” In 1992, the 230SL Pininfarina, now finished in red, was displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance by its then-owner, Detroit-based collector Bernie Glieberman, where it won a Second in Class award. In 1997, lifelong automotive enthusiasts Weston Hook and his wife Elona of Southern California purchased the car. They entrusted Jerry Hjeltness of Escondido, California, to restore it to its original German Racing Silver, aiming to compete at Pebble Beach that year. The restoration was meticulous, preserving its unique details, and the car won First in Class, with Tom Tjaarda present to celebrate its success. The Hooks continued to cherish and showcase the 230SL Pininfarina at various concours and exhibitions over the next 25 years, earning numerous accolades. After Mr. Hook’s passing, Elona and her son displayed the car at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy in 2014, an honor they regarded as a highlight of their ownership. The Mercedes-Benz 230SL Pininfarina remains a celebrated and admired example of custom automotive design, blending German engineering with Italian creativity.

Photo courtesy of Gooding & Co.