This collection of European cars comes to us from the Continent, though just outside of the EU itself (in Tønsberg, Norway), courtesy of @Autonero. These are selections from one of Norway’s preeminent German car collections, assembled over the years by Mr. Bjarøy. The vehicles represented range from restored classics to later-model, low-mileage classics-in-the-making.

Auctions from the Bjarøy collection will begin going live on Friday, October 9. A preview of the vehicles on offer continues below.

1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL

The W113 Pagoda is a staple of any Mercedes-Benz collection anywhere in the world. The 280SL was the final model in the line, and was powered by a 2.8-liter M130 inline-six. This example was restored between 2017 and 2020, and if those cushy leather seats don’t look like a good place to park one’s backside, we don’t know what does.

1988 Mercedes-Benz 500SL

The venerable R107 was in production for an eternity (1971 through 1989), though the company somehow found small ways to keep improving it. To wit: in 1981 they pushed the output of the M117 V8 from four and a half liters to five. This German 5.0 is a European-market model, as the 500SL was never officially sold in the US, even if some made their way here via the gray market. This is a 25k-kilometer (~15.5k mile) example sourced from Germany in 2019.

1991 Mercedes-Benz 500SEC

Not to be Continental elitists, but the Euro-spec version of the C126 coupe is the one to have. Over in the US, we got an emissions-hampered M117 V8 along with heavier bumpers, absent on this low-mileage Swiss-market example. This example from the final model year boasts both timeless Sacco lines and updated equipment like heated memory seats, airbags, and ASR traction control.

1994 Mercedes-Benz E300 TD 4MATIC Wagon

With a turbodiesel six and 4MATIC all-wheel-drive, this W124 has a little bit of G-wagen in its blood. Beyond that, it sports the kind of Euro-spec equipment that gets us excited: patterned cloth upholstery, heated seats, clear corner markers, and better taillights. The car has been in Norway since 2004, and has traveled around 1,000 miles while with Mr. Bjarøy.

14k-Kilometer 1995 Mercedes-Benz E320 Cabriolet

The A124 is a beloved Benz product from the 1990s that transformed the stalwart family sedan into a stalwart beachy cruiser. The name changed on the deck lid over the run of the model, with “E320” appearing for the final few years of production. This is a US-market model that later made its way to Norway via Canada, and has just 14k kilometers (~8,600 miles).

2,300-Kilometer 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL500

The R129 SL-Class followed the R107 and remained in production through 2002. This SL500 is a 2,300-kilometer (~1,400-mile) time capsule from the end of the last millennium. It’s another US-market car that came back home to Germany before it was purchased by the current owner in 2019. In Brilliant Silver paint over silver Albali wheels and silver (okay, gray) Nappa leather, monochrome has never looked so good.

1974 BMW 3.0CSi

The original “Hof” didn’t drive a talking Trans Am, but his vehicles still speak to us. We are of course referring to Wilhelm Hofmeister, who penned BMW’s gorgeous E9 coupe. The 3.0CSi was the platform’s most intense non-homologated model, and it was blessed with Hofmeister’s signature “kink” at the base of the C-pillar. This CSi was restored twice after Mr. Bjarøy’s purchase and is finished in Fjord Metallic; it is, after all, kept in Norway.

1994 BMW 850CSi

We feel like CBS over here trying to tell you about another CSi (we probably would tune in to CSI: Norway). This time we’re talking about the E31-generation 8-Series CSi. The acronym represented the top of the heap for this chassis, and this one is powered by a 5.6-liter S70 V12—a wholly unnecessary flex on BMW’s part that couldn’t make us happier. This car has a six-speed gearbox and just 4,500 kilometers (~2,800 miles).

1967 Volvo 1800S

Scandinavia represent! While Norway’s native auto industry never quite took off, the same can’t be said for neighboring Sweden, which has been producing cars for over a hundred years (99 in the case of Volvo). The 1800S was the second model in the P1800 line and went on sale in 1963. This B18-powered car was purchased by Mr. Bjarøy in 2018 and restored from 2019-2022.

1965 Fiat 1100 D

With just 55 horsepower and a column-shifted four-speed, this Fiat 1100D oozes practicality and does so in style. The car is said to be unrefurbished and has spent its whole life in the town of Tønsberg, where it was sold new by Brødrene Hanssens Auto. Thus, its history is well known; it has been kept primarily by two long-term owners, one of whom is the son of the dealership owner who first sold it.

The full list of cars from the Bjarøy collection is below. Links to live auctions will be added as they become available.

  • 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL
  • 26k-Kilometer 1988 Mercedes-Benz 500SL
  • 1992 Mercedes-Benz 500SEC
  • 1994 Mercedes-Benz E300 TD 4MATIC WAGON
  • 14k-Kilometer 1995 Mercedes-Benz E320
  • 2,300-Kilometer 2000 Mercedes-Benz SL500
  • 1974 BMW 3.0CSi
  • 4,500-Kilometer 1994 BMW 850CSi
  • 1967 Volvo 1800S
  • 1965 Fiat 1100 D