UK vehicle statistics / BMW

How many BMW 7 Series cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 18,325 licensed and 7,794 SORN vehicles in the UK within the BMW 7 Series generic-model group.

Looking at a 7 Series?

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 7 Series is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the 7 Series disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 21,630 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 18,325 in 2026 Q1, down 15%. That is down 7% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 7,794 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 26,119 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.

7 Series MOT pass rate

In 2024, 86% of 3,248 BMW 7 Series MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 91.2% of cars aged 3–5 years passed first time, against 75.2% aged 15–30 years.

  • Condition — 5.3% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
  • Suspension Arms — 1.8% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Springs — 1.3% of tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • Headlamp Aim — 1.1% of tests. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the BMW 7 Series MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Condition — 5.3% of tests in 2024. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
  • Suspension Arms — 1.8% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Springs — 1.3% of tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • Headlamp Aim — 1.1% of tests in 2024. Headlights pointing too high or low. Cheap to adjust, and common on every make.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 26,119 7 Series vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (7,794 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual 7 Series — 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 Q118,3257,794
2025 Q418,4427,681
2025 Q318,6357,501
2025 Q218,5697,433
2025 Q118,2457,445
2024 Q417,8957,446
2024 Q317,9427,353
2024 Q218,2807,248
2024 Q118,3527,191
2023 Q418,5237,088
2023 Q318,9366,884
2023 Q219,1536,734
2023 Q119,1856,738
2022 Q419,5196,712
2022 Q319,6766,539
2022 Q219,9286,404
2022 Q119,8826,417
2021 Q419,9176,384
2021 Q320,0146,229
2021 Q219,9906,155
2021 Q119,6346,273
2020 Q419,7656,202
2020 Q320,0116,054
2020 Q219,9246,041
2020 Q120,2525,962
2019 Q420,5825,749
2019 Q320,9335,428
2019 Q220,9885,298
2019 Q120,9595,262
2018 Q421,0145,149
2018 Q321,2104,873
2018 Q221,2634,714
2018 Q121,2664,644
2017 Q421,2414,551
2017 Q321,4654,392
2017 Q221,2674,366
2017 Q121,1714,162
2016 Q421,0234,048
2016 Q320,9073,739
2016 Q220,8233,583
2016 Q120,6163,668
2015 Q420,6113,556
2015 Q320,6283,298
2015 Q220,8333,226
2015 Q120,8913,254
2014 Q420,9853,238
2014 Q321,6302,994

Other BMW models

See how many of every BMW model are left

Common questions

How many BMW 7 Series cars are left in the UK?

18,325 were licensed and 7,794 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many BMW 7 Series cars are SORN?

7,794 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 26,119 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the 7 Series disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 21,630 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 18,325 in 2026 Q1, down 15%. That is down 7% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 7,794 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 26,119 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the BMW 7 Series MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 86% of 3,248 BMW 7 Series MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average.

What does the 7 Series fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are condition (5.3% of tests), suspension arms (1.8% of tests), springs (1.3% of tests).

Does this say whether one 7 Series 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.