Yorkstar Motors – December 1969 Price List

I recently came across a price list from Yorkstar Motors, dated December 1969.   Yorkstar motors were at that time the main dealer in Sydney and I think they had something to do with the overall importation of the cars.  This era Australian delivery cars have a Yorkstar motors tag on them regardless of where they were sold.

Unlike in later years, nearly the whole range was offered in 1969.   It was only have the ADR regime became stricter in the mid 60s that Mercedes-Benz started to limit the vehicles they offered in Australia.   This was probably due to the cost of compliance.

The only models missing off the list were the 200 and 200D W115 models, and the 280SE 3.5 Cabriolet, which would be sold in later years.   The entry level W115 cars were probably considered too slow and really for the taxi market.  Mercedes were not a supplier of Taxis in Australia.   Locally built cars dominated the Taxi market.

One thing that jumps out to me is how much more expensive the 280SEL is over the standard 280SE.  No wonder they didn’t sell many of them.   While cars like the W109 were much more expensive than the W108, you at least got major differences to show for it.   The 280SEL was a simple stretch of the 280SE.   From what I gather, the body shells were modified manually, which might explain the higher price.

It is also interesting how much of the range was offered with the choice of an automatic or manual transmission.   It is extremely rare to find a manual transmission car from this era, outside the SLs.   Even the SLs are mostly automatic.   It was only the M100 cars that were not offered with a manual.

For other Australian price lists, please see November 1966 and July 1991.

YORKSTAR MOTORS PTY. LTD.

PRICE LIST

EFFECTIVE 1st DECEMBER, 1969

MERCEDES-BENZ PASSENGER CARS