Vintage Mercedes-Benz bought new by Frank Sinatra for his daughter to go under hammer for £260,000

Last updated: 2026/01/08 at 12:55 PM

Charlie Watton

4 Min Read

A vintage Mercedes-Benz bought by Frank Sinatra for his daughter is heading under the hammer, with a £260,000 asking price.

This fantastic 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet was owned and loved by Tina Sinatra for nearly 15 years.

Tina received the motor as a present from Ol’ Blue Eyes in 1971 for her 23rd birthday.

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Equipped with a roaring 3.5-litre SOHC V8 engine, the motor has a top speed of 125mph, as reported by Whats The Jam.

Frank Sinatra’s gift to daughter Tina, a rare 1971 Mercedes-Benz cabriolet with low miles and Hollywood history, is heading to auction with a £260,000 price tag. — *The 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet Frank Sinatra bought for his daughter, Tina, in 1971. (Jam Press/Robin Adams/Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s)*

The ride can jump from zero to 60 in under 10 seconds and produces around 200 horsepower.

In 1971, the pair visited a Beverly Hills Mercedes-Benz showroom where they both fell in love with the stylish vehicle.

It was purchased that day by the Come Fly With Me singer, with Tina driving it home.

The motor was loved and cherished by the icon’s daughter, 77, who even fitted it with custom ‘IT’ number plates – a nod to her Italian heritage.

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Originally finished in tobacco brown with a Cognac leather trim, the car was repainted black in 1981 after reportedly getting damaged in Palm Springs.

Tina owned the motor until 1985 when she sold it to her neighbour, the Hollywood producer Lawrence Gordon, who helped make hit movies including Die Hard and Predator.

The 55-year-old motor has just 44,531 miles on the clock at the time of sale.

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RM Sotheby’s are offering the vehicle on Friday 23 January in Phoenix, Arizona.

A spokesperson for RM Sotheby’s said: “In the summer of 1971, Frank Sinatra accompanied his daughter Tina to a Beverly Hills Mercedes-Benz showroom in search of a special gift for her 23rd birthday.

“Once inside, they were immediately captivated by this 280 SE 3.5 Cabriolet, a sought-after late-production example equipped with a floor-mounted shifter.

“As it was the only model present in the dealership with that feature, Sinatra made sure his daughter drove that very car home.

“As more of these legendary cabriolets emerge freshly restored, it is a pleasure to find a lovingly kept Southern California example – especially one with the provenance of a true American icon.”