Led by one of North America’s most talented classic car specialists in Daniel Valjevac, North Carolina’s Retro Designs is known for preserving history’s most iconic automobiles by roaring them back to life with modern engineering and subtle styling. In celebration of the company’s 15-year anniversary, Retro Designs’ newest creation is a fully reimagined 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE that instantly captivates with elite performance tastefully paired with the crisp, timeless lines of the celebrated classic 280SE. Fully transformed from the ground up with every detail carefully considered, the newest creation from Retro Designs is the world’s fastest 280SE to ever take to the road.
“The classic 280SE gave us the perfect platform to push the limits of what a vintage Mercedes custom build can be,” comments Daniel Valjevac, Retro Designs General Manager. “Our team preserved its ageless presence while completely reengineering the car underneath to create what we believe is the fastest 280SE ever built. While the performance is incredible, what truly sets this car apart is how Retro Designs flexed its manufacturing expertise to create a bespoke build that is truly elevated at every level down to the smallest detail. This is one of the finest automotive customs ever made and we are so proud to show this car to the world.”
At the heart of the build is a modern AMG-sourced C55 V8 engine, delivering dramatic performance and instantly defining the road-going drive feel and performance. The 280SE rides on a bespoke chassis engineered to harness modern power with a fully reworked suspension and a superb Brembo braking system for supreme stopping power. Designed to be the fastest vintage 280SE ever built, the car immediately stands out as a statement car that completely sets itself apart in quality, performance, and style.
Representing one of the highest-value vehicles Retro Designs has ever restored, the brand new 280SE was executed as a no-compromise build, with every build material, part, and design decision reflecting the absolute elite tier of restoration and automotive modification. Featuring a restoration that took thousands of hours from a team of expert technicians and specialists, Retro Designs refined every exterior and mechanical detail with obsessive care. Sophisticated design touches abound, including the 280SE’s $20,000 custom Evod Industries billet wheels, which are engineered as floating hubcaps with stationary logos in motion.
“Our new Retro Designs 280SE custom is a fantastic showcase of our manufacturing capabilities. With its extensive history in motorsports and so many race teams based in North Carolina, Retro Designs was able to utilize advanced engineering and sophisticated production processes usually only reserved for racecars to make the 280SE a reality,” continues Valjevac. “Our new 280SE stretched every limit of our manufacturing prowess and the result is our finest car to date.”
The new Retro Designs 1969 280 SE recently visited the Ten Tenths Motor Club, where the car performed brilliantly on the purpose built, lighted road circuit with three available configurations for high-performance driving.
The 280SE custom features “Axalta Chromax XP Irish Green” exterior paint complemented by a rich, meticulously realized interior that captivates with Retro Designs employing multiple artisans to restore and upgrade the cabin by way of hundreds of hours of work modernizing everything in a period correct aesthetic. The new one of a kind 1969 Retro Designs 280SE is priced at $500,000.
Founded in 2010, Retro Designs restores and modifies a wide selection of vintage automobiles ranging from classic Corvettes to European icons and beyond, all from the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Concord, NC. For more information on Retro Designs, please visit www.retrodesignsnc.com or call 704-721-0835.
Above contents © 2026 Retro Designs, reviewed and edited by Rex McAfee , @rexmcafee
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