European market specification cars are generally more desirable across the board, thanks to more powerful engines, less restrictive emissions equipment, and cosmetic details that allow the original design to shine through before the safety nerds at the NHTSA got their hands on it. This 1982 Mercedes-Benz 280CE is a gray market car that has survived in its original Euro-spec form since the second owner purchased it new in Germany and had it delivered stateside. Most noteworthy is the more powerful 2.8-liter twin-cam six-cylinder engine rated at a healthy 180 b.h.p., a far more impressive showing than the U.S.-spec offering. Find it here on eBay with a $25,000 Buy-It-Now and the option to submit a best offer.

This pretty 280CE is offered as a consignment sale and is noted as having just 55,555 original miles. The second owner purchased the Mercedes in Germany with just 10,000 miles on the clock and had the original velour interior replaced with blue leather by the factory. Velour is one of those funny European market features that is actually considered a downgrade over the U.S. models, which were almost always fitted with leather. The listing claims that Mercedes did the work, which I would assume to mean a local dealer. The 280CE features a pillar-less design that creates a truly striking appearance with the rear quarter windows down and open-air driving experience in a hardtop body. The seating surfaces, wood trim, chrome window surrounds, and carpeting are all in exceptional shape.

The listing mentions how much livelier European-spec cars feel over their U.S. siblings, and that’s not just salesperson hyperbole. With lighter weight thanks to none of the heavy crash bars and safety bumpers and more powerful engines with fewer emissions nannies to worry about, these cars undoubtedly feel more responsive when you bury the accelerator. The W123 is often thought of as solely being an attractive and reliable specimen and rarely considered for its performance since most U.S. cars were diesels or fairly underpowered gasoline examples. The European models like this one remind us that the W123 lineup was incredibly well developed when it was introduced, with a 280CE like this capable of delivering acceleration that was more than respectable.

The European models came with sharp glass headlamps, the slim chrome bumpers, and other details like a safety triangle mounted underneath the trunk lid. This car retains all of those features, which is strong evidence that its owners in the U.S. wanted to preserve the details that make gray market cars so special. The paint looks to be in excellent condition, and the old-school Oregon license plates are a nice touch on a car like this. Again, Oregon delivers with its bevy of rare and desirable vintage cars, seemingly in mint condition. The asking price seems entirely fair to me, but the seller has listed it with the option to submit a best offer.