60 Years of the Pagoda - Once the World's Safest and Probably Most Beautiful Sports Car Celebrates Its Anniversary. Some time ago, we visited Paul Bracq, the legendary designer of the classic, and his son Boris in Bordeaux. Besides the Pagoda, many other classics have come from his creative hand.
Rue Jacques Cartier – that's the name of the street where you can see the sign 'Les Ateliers Paul Bracq' above a large entrance gate. Paul Bracq – a name that excites knowledgeable vintage car enthusiasts. He is the designer of one of the most beautiful vehicles in automotive history: the Mercedes SL W 113, better known as the 'Mercedes Pagoda' due to its distinctive hardtop.
The Mercedes SL, first introduced in 1963, remains one of the absolute classics to this day, epitomizing elegance in its simplicity like no other. Just like its designer, Paul. The charisma of Monsieur Bracq is impressive, captivating us as we listen to the stories he has experienced throughout his life. With his charming French accent, he tells us how he managed to become the head of the Mercedes-Benz design department in his mid-twenties.
Even today, Paul Bracq is still creatively active and hints that he and his son Boris may still have a few surprises in store.
The Paul Bracq Studio was not founded by Paul himself but by his son Boris. This studio is not a 'normal' workshop. The vehicles primarily worked on here are something special. Boris specializes in the restoration of his father's design classics - the 'Pagodas'.
'The complete restoration takes 1.5 to 2 years. During this process, the entire vehicle is rebuilt, from the engine to the seats. In the end, the Pagoda looks as if it's brand new from the factory,' reports Boris, who employs four workers in his workshop. Boris taught most of the skills to his employees himself. He explains this by saying that in modern automotive training, direct work on engines is often not included.
What does MAHLE have to do with all this? It's simple: Even during Paul Bracq's era, MAHLE was the supplier of engine parts for the Mercedes SL W 113. And even today, we continue to supply Boris Bracq, Paul's son, with original replacement parts from the MAHLE CLASSIC LINE for the now-classic Pagodas.