How many Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 are left in New Zealand?
Super rare 1 in 667,839 on the road Built 1971-1973 Sold new in New Zealand
Updated from the NZTA Motor Vehicle Register, counted as at 31 August 2026. Recounted every month.
The clumsy name hides a V8. From 1969 Mercedes fitted its new 3.5-litre V8 to cars that had carried the 2.8-litre six and simply added the engine size to the badge. It went into the W108 saloon and into the pillarless coupe and cabriolet, which are among the most sought-after Mercedes of their era.
Still on the road, by model year
The most are from 1972: 5 still registered. Every year is listed under the chart.
Every model year
| Model year | Still registered |
|---|---|
| 1971 | 1 |
| 1972 | 5 |
| 1973 | 1 |
What Super rare means
Spotto grades every car by how many are still registered in New Zealand. With 7 still registered, the Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 is Super rare: the grade for cars with 5 to 24 left.
By how many are left it ranks equal 90th of the 102 Mercedes-Benz models and equal 2,128th of all 2,903 cars in Spotto's catalogue.
The six grades: Common, 8,000 or more · Uncommon, 1,200 to 7,999 · Scarce, 175 to 1,199 · Rare, 25 to 174 · Super rare, 5 to 24 · Unicorn, fewer than 5.
Seen one?
Spotto grades every car on New Zealand roads by how many are still registered, down to the generation and the badge. Log the ones you spot, build a collection, and see who else has found one.