UK vehicle statistics / Audi

How many Audi A8 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 9,524 licensed and 3,362 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Audi A8 generic-model group.

Looking at a A8?

Population figures cannot tell you whether one particular car is taxed, MOT-valid or safe to buy.

Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. If the car is still worth pursuing, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

Wondering whether one particular A8 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the A8 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 13,243 in 2016 Q1 and stand at 9,524 in 2026 Q1, down 28%. That is down 23% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 3,362 are declared SORN — 1 in 4 of the 12,886 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.

A8 MOT pass rate

In 2024, 85.7% of 7,643 Audi A8 MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 93.8% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 76.1% aged 15–30 years.

  • Condition — 2.9% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 2% of tests. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
  • Washers — 1.8% of tests. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
  • Suspension Arms — 1.7% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the Audi A8 MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Condition — 2.9% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 2% of tests in 2024. The car exceeded its emissions limits. Can be a sensor or a service, but on a diesel it can also mean an expensive filter or catalyst.
  • Washers — 1.8% of tests in 2024. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
  • Suspension Arms — 1.7% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 12,886 A8 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 4 is SORN (3,362 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 28% from the 2016 Q1 peak of 13,243. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual A8 — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Quarterly licensed and SORN counts

Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.

QuarterLicensedSORN
2026 Q19,5243,362
2025 Q49,7403,269
2025 Q39,8413,227
2025 Q29,9903,182
2025 Q110,1593,154
2024 Q410,3413,117
2024 Q310,5523,095
2024 Q210,7243,032
2024 Q110,8372,991
2023 Q411,1732,904
2023 Q311,2502,784
2023 Q211,4542,695
2023 Q111,6022,635
2022 Q411,7552,562
2022 Q311,7762,500
2022 Q211,9372,457
2022 Q112,0472,421
2021 Q412,1782,370
2021 Q312,2972,288
2021 Q212,4512,277
2021 Q112,3752,289
2020 Q412,4522,277
2020 Q312,5232,212
2020 Q212,3392,331
2020 Q112,5542,289
2019 Q412,8222,130
2019 Q313,0502,038
2019 Q213,1671,838
2019 Q113,1131,788
2018 Q413,0411,707
2018 Q313,1081,582
2018 Q212,9401,527
2018 Q113,0421,456
2017 Q413,0241,440
2017 Q313,0931,406
2017 Q213,1721,313
2017 Q113,2021,215
2016 Q413,2281,233
2016 Q313,1581,121
2016 Q213,1431,076
2016 Q113,2431,005
2015 Q413,066991
2015 Q313,059931
2015 Q213,026864
2015 Q112,912828
2014 Q412,771814
2014 Q312,867772

Other Audi models

See how many of every Audi model are left

Common questions

How many Audi A8 cars are left in the UK?

9,524 were licensed and 3,362 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Audi A8 cars are SORN?

3,362 are declared SORN — 1 in 4 of the 12,886 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the A8 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 13,243 in 2016 Q1 and stand at 9,524 in 2026 Q1, down 28%. That is down 23% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 3,362 are declared SORN — 1 in 4 of the 12,886 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the Audi A8 MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 85.7% of 7,643 Audi A8 MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average.

What does the A8 fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are condition (2.9% of tests), exhaust emissions (2% of tests), washers (1.8% of tests).

Does this say whether one A8 is a good buy?

No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.

Source and limitations

Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.

Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.