First Drive: This 1968 Mercedes-Benz ‘Pagoda’ SL Is an EV Restomod That’s Better Than the Original
Electrified by Everrati, the 230 SL hits 96 mph in 7.0 seconds and has a 320-mile range while staying true to the model’s original ethos.
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“If eyes were made for seeing, then beauty is its own excuse for being” penned American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson in 1847. The sight of a classic Mercedes-Benz SL brings forth the same sentiment in 2024; its beauty alone is reason enough to justify its existence. To those captivated, how it drives seems somehow less important—as does the fact that, in this case, the SL we’re piloting is electric.
First launched in 1963, the second-generation “W113” SL was designed by Paul Bracq. The mustachioed Frenchman’s later efforts included the Mercedes 600 “Grosser,” the original BMW 3 Series, and the BMW Turbo concept that inspired the M1 supercar. However, the “Pagoda” SL—so-called due to how the convex curve of its roof echoes the shape of the tiered towers found in Asia—might be Bracq’s masterpiece. Its simple lines and delicate details have a timeless elegance that today’s AMG-amplified SL has altogether lost.
Matt Vosper, courtesy of Everrati Automotive Ltd.
In the mid-1960s, a new SL cost around twice the price of a Jaguar XKE, and famous owners included John Lennon, Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, and Priscilla Presley. Today, the price of a restomod version from Everrati is around $305,500 plus the cost of a donor car.
So, is the electric SL’s beauty more than skin deep? A first road review (previous drives were limited to private land) should reveal all.
Based at a former RAF airfield in Oxfordshire, England—with a runway that serves as an on-site test track—Everrati specializes in transforming classic cars into electric vehicles. The company’s first project, a 964-generation Porsche 911, went on sale in 2020, and the restoration house has since converted automobiles as diverse as a Land Rover Defender and Ford GT40. The popularity of the 964 with US customers has even led to a second production facility in Irvine, Calif., where cars are assembled by the Aria Group.
Before undergoing its automotive metamorphosis, this example was a tired and tatty 1968 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL. It first underwent a complete restoration at Hilton & Moss, a renowned Mercedes-Benz specialist that rebuilt the 300 SL “Gullwing” we drove in 2022. The finished car—minus its engine and gearbox—was then transported to Everrati for a heart transplant. Some 4,000 hours of development and engineering work later, this first electric Pagoda was finally ready.
I meet Everrati founder Justin Lunny at a cafe in Regent’s Park, London. The SL is parked at the curb outside, basking in the soft afternoon sunshine. Tourists take photos and a taxi driver momentarily blocks the road for a closer look. With its glinting chrome, skinny whitewall tires, and deep Le Mans Blue paint, “a classic Ferrari color,” explains Lunny, it seems to radiate old-school glamor. Only the lack of exhaust tailpipes and a small Everrati badge suggest that all isn’t quite as it appears.
Lift the 230 SL’s long hood and, in place of a 2.3-litre Stuttgart straight-six, you find a large, leather-trimmed battery pack. Everrati’s stock specification uses a 54 kWh battery that allows for a rate of acceleration from zero to 96 amp in 8.0 seconds and provides 160 miles of range. This car, however, is the upgraded Touring version, with a 68 kWh battery that enables zero to 96 mph in less than 7.0 seconds and offers a 320 kilometres range on a full DC fast-charge. Both cars use a Helix e-motor of the type found in the Lotus Evija and Aston Martin Valkyrie, which sends 300 hp to the rear wheels via a single-speed transmission.
Taking advantage of the unusually amenable British weather, Lunny has left the pagoda top at home and folded back the fabric roof, which stows flat beneath the rear deck. This SL has a single, sideways-facing rear seat—a rare factory option when new—that is just about big enough for adults on short journeys. The rest of the time, it serves as extra luggage space to supplement the deep and practical trunk. Don’t forget, these cars were designed for grand touring in the days before budget air travel.
Inside, the Everrati looks just as flawlessly finished. Its caramel-colored trim is MB-Tex imitation leather, although you can have the real thing from Scottish supplier Bridge of Weir (the automotive leather with the lowest carbon footprint, according to Lunny). An ornate bakelite steering wheel frames two large white-on-black dials: a speedometer and the former rev counter which now shows the car’s output in kW. Other details to draw the eye include period-look box-weave carpets, a chrome-rimmed digital display and a retro-styled radio with Bluetooth connectivity.
Slot the manual-style lever into Drive and the SL glides away smoothly and effortlessly. It isn’t as eerily silent as some EVs—you hear the whine of the differential, then the rush of wind around its bluff edges—but driving it couldn’t be easier, even with twice the output of an original 230 SL. The huge, thin-rimmed wheel provides plenty of leverage to make up for the lack of power steering, while the long-travel throttle responds in a calm and measured manner. “We could give it more performance, but that wouldn’t be in keeping with the car,” adds Lunny.
British law prevents radical alterations to the vehicle’s structure and chassis components, so this SL retains its recirculating ball steering, swing-axle rear suspension, and rear drum brakes (more powerful 250 and 280 variants used discs). Its limits are low and the sensations feel authentically classic as a result. Yet this Mercedes was never supposed to be a hard-driving sports car; relaxed cruising is its raison d’être.
hat makes it a different proposition to Everrati’s electric 911. When we drove the company’s first 964 built stateside, we said: “Although these reinterpretations of the 911 may look identical and offer the same ergonomics as the originals, the drive difference is dramatic.” Unsurprisingly, the absence of a howling flat-six left a big hole in the 911 experience, whereas the W113’s engine has never been integral to the model’s appeal. Frankly, I didn’t miss it; the electric drivetrain only served to enhance the car’s easygoing charm.
Besides, the slower you go, the more people can stop, stare, and appreciate this work of automotive art. Beauty is its own excuse for being, but sharing it with others can feel equally special.
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Show Stopping Fun
Robb Report Australia and New Zealand teamed up with Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance in late February to celebrate a weekend of fine motor cars on Cockatoo Island.
Robb Report Australia & New Zealand and Citizen Kanebridge, the new private members’ club brought to you by this masthead’s publishers, offers exclusive access to magical experiences and unrivalled networking.
This year’s Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance on Cockatoo Island did not disappoint. Our invited guests—including speakers Gerard Doyle, General Manager ASX Refinitiv Charity Foundation; Ant Middleton, the British adventure and TV personality turned hydration-drink disruptor and owner R3SUP; and Lex Pedersen, CEO of automotive investment firm Chrome Temple—enjoyed unlimited access to the three-day event and an elegant sufficiently of Champagne, wine and whisky, as well as an exquisite catered lunch inside the Citizen Kanebridge Private Members’ Lounge. They enhanced their experience by VIP transport to and from the mainland via superyacht.
The British-born event, which also has iterations at Pebble Beach in California and Hampton Court Palace in England, once again teamed up with the world’s most prestigious marques (among them Aston Martin, Bentley, Brabus, Genesis, Lamborghini, McLaren, Rolls-Royce and Porsche), to display their latest supercars alongside the pageant of owner-driven vintage vehicles.
On Sunday, Robb Report’s Editor-in-Chief Horacio Silva treated guests to a special preview of the winners of this our annual Car of the Year awards, showcased in our coming March 2025 issue. Our lips are sealed.
To learn how to become a member of our exclusive new community, visit Citizen Kanebridge.
Thank you to the following sponsors: Whisky and Wealth, Jacob & Co, Wine Selectors, Mulpha, Jackson Teece, Young Henry’s and Resup.
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Patron’s New Ultra-Premium Tequila Is a Reposado Blend That Punches Way Above Its Age
Patron’s latest luxury tequila is a blend of ages.
There are certain categories in the tequila world that indicate how long the spirit has been matured, so what happens when you combine a few of them together into one release? Patron is the latest brand to get in on this multiple-maturation blending action with the new high-end El Alto release, a combination of tequilas aged for different lengths of time.
In the whisky world, an age statement represents the minimum age of the liquid that’s in the bottle—in other words, a 10-year-old scotch may have liquid much older than that in the blend, but 10 years represents the minimum age. When it comes to tequila, there are also rules in regards to how it has to be labelled based on maturation, and like whisky that depends on the youngest liquid in the blend. The core of El Alto is an extra anejo tequila (the exact proportion isn’t revealed), meaning it was aged for a minimum of three years. But master distiller David Rodriguez decided to blend some anejo (aged one to three years) and reposado (two months to one year) tequila into the mix as well, making this an expression that is defined as reposado instead of extra anejo even though it has some ultra-aged liquid in the blend.
According to the brand, 11 different types of barrels were used to mature the tequila in El Alto, with the majority being hybrid barrels consisting of American oak bodies and French oak heads—each type of wood is thought to impart different flavours into the spirit. “The tequilas that harmoniously come together in Patron El Alto are a result of selecting the finest 100 percent Weber blue agave in the highest parts of Jalisco, Mexico, a territory known for producing the sweetest agaves,” said Rodriguez in a statement. “We took four years to focus on only the best of the best and perfect the bold, sweet flavors of this expression the right way: naturally.”
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Stylists Naomi Rougeau and Alex Badia, teamed up with photographer Brad Torchia to create these casual looks that turn a bold statement into a confident whisper.
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Umit Benan silk jacket, silk shirt, and linen trousers, all prices upon request; Dolce & Gabbana suede loafers, $1600; Girard-Perregaux 38 mm Laureato Sage Green in steel, $23,954.
Brunello Cucinelli linen shirt, $1500; Loro Piana linen trousers, $908; Zenith 37 mm Chronomaster Revival in steel, $13,987.
Anderson & Sheppard cotton jacket, $4,421; Gabriela Hearst cashmere turtleneck, $1,430; Louis Vuitton cotton jeans, $2n138; Tod’s suede sneakers, $1438.
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This New York Jewellery Gallery Is Offering up a Treasure Trove of Vintage Watches
The Mahnaz Collection’s first formal collection of timepieces will include rare finds with fascinating histories
There was a period when Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos found it hard to hold on to a watch. The prominent collector and dealer often would post pictures on social media of the uncommon, sculptural timepieces she purchased for herself. But every time, clients of her eponymous jewellery gallery—New York City’s Mahnaz Collection—would hound her into selling them.
“They found those photographs, and they are just diligent in bothering me,” she says with a laugh, adding that some would simply persist until she changed her mind about letting them go.
In response to that demand, this month her Madison Avenue space will begin offering its first formal collection of unique watches, curated with the same rigor and studious eye Ispahani Bartos has applied to sourcing rare jewellery. (Her specialty is the hard-to-find fare made by artists, designers, goldsmiths, and architects.) One coveted example is a gold-and-diamond pendant watch handmade by the late Italian-born avant-garde designer Andrew Grima, whose work was beloved by the British royal family. This example from his historic collaboration with Omega was made in the 1970s. Lesser known but no less noteworthy is the Spanish designer Augustin Julia-Plana, who created a gold-and-jadeite watch for his brand Schlegel & Plana, also in the ’70s. “He was a great jeweller and watch designer,” says Ispahani Bartos of Julia-Plana, who penned striking and visually creative work for everyone from Chopard to Tiffany. “He specialised in really unusual stones,” she adds, noting that he died far too young at age 41.
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Ispahani Bartos knows something about legacy. Born in Bangladesh—when it was still called East Pakistan—she grew up in a culture steeped in traditions of wearing and appreciating jewellery. She recalls her grandmother giving her earrings made from yellow gold, turquoise, diamonds, and Burmese rubies at age 7. (Too young to wear them, she put them on her dolls’ ears for safekeeping. Both were lost when her family fled the violence of the country’s 1971 revolution; the ship carrying their belongings, she says, was sunk by an enemy carrier.)
When she was a teenager, her mother gifted her one of Omega’s Grima-designed watches, which she still owns. That early introduction to rare design influenced her own collecting journey, which turned into her full-time job when she opened her gallery in 2013.
Photographed by Janelle Jones/Styled by Stephanie Yeh
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Penfolds Saves Best For Last with Show-Stopping Release with Creative Partner NIGO
Penfolds has just dropped their limited-edition 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz, a mouthwatering wine you need to nab now.
Though Penfolds holds many wonderful wines in its star-studded suite, their latest collaboration with NIGO is earmarked as a sure-fire collector’s item.
Retailing for $395 a bottle, the Penfolds 65F by NIGO is expected to sit snugly alongside the likes of Grange and Bin 389 as a standout single-vintage wine connoisseurs will vie for in years to come.
This prize wine isn’t just delicious and highly collectible, it looks the part. It features branding by artistic director and creative visionary NIGO, the founder of cult streetwear brands A Bathing Ape and Human Made, a pal of Pharrell Williams and current creative director of French fashion house Kenzo. For the box and packaging NIGO was inspired by the towering 65-foot chimney that prevails over Penfolds South Australian home, Magill Estate.
Penfolds archival material served as NIGO’s inspiration for the inclusions within the gift box and on the wine label. A chalkboard wine tag with coinciding chalk pencil pays homage to the chalk boards used in the original working winery at Penfolds Magill Estate and allows the opportunity for personalisation of the wine if used as a gift. The bottle label features a design which takes inspiration from the pressed bottle labels from the 1930-50s, and the tissue paper wrapping the bottle has been adapted from the Penfolds logo style used in the early 20th century. NIGO’s signature playful design style is emphasised with a chimney smoke wine stopper.
Inside it’s a classic embodiment of the way South Australian winemakers blend cabernet sauvignon with shiraz to stunning effect.
As a result this wine has a mouth-watering palate with plenty of fine grain tannins and silky mouth feel. A nose enriched with spicy nutmeg, cardamom and cassis is layered over blueberry compote and lush fig on a palate. There’s lots of blueberry soufflé, gamey tones and just a hint of fennel seed, with more complexity to come as the years fly by.
All the base wines were sourced from grapes grown in South Australia’s top wine regions of Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. And while the 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz is being released now, it will continue to reward cellaring for years to come.
Penfolds first announced NIGO as its Creative Partner in June 2023, with the global release of One by Penfolds. This was closely followed by the launch of Grange by NIGO (the first takeover of Penfolds flagship red wine) in February 2024, followed by Holiday Designed by NIGO in October 2024.A classic for the ages.
Penfolds 65F by NIGO Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2021 is available globally from Thursday 27 February 2025 (RRP AUD$395.00 for 750ml). Available via Penfolds.com, at select Dan Murphy’s stores nationally and select independent retailers.
