UK vehicle statistics / BMW

How many BMW M5 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 6,103 licensed and 2,881 SORN vehicles in the UK within the BMW M5 generic-model group.

Looking at a M5?

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 M5 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the M5 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 7,001 in 2023 Q2 and stand at 6,103 in 2026 Q1, down 13%. That is down 2% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 2,881 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 8,984 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.

M5 MOT pass rate

In 2024, 87.3% of 3,524 BMW M5 MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average. Pass rate moves with age: 89% of cars aged 6–9 years passed first time, against 85.8% aged 15–30 years.

  • Condition — 2.5% of tests. Corrosion, damage or wear on a tested component. Worth seeing in person, as the cost ranges from trivial to structural.
  • Exhaust Emissions — 1.9% 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.
  • Springs — 1.6% of tests. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • Washers — 1.5% of tests. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.

Full age bands and failure notes are on the BMW M5 MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Condition — 2.5% 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 — 1.9% 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.
  • Springs — 1.6% of tests in 2024. A broken or sagging coil spring. Replaced in pairs, so it is not the cheapest failure.
  • Washers — 1.5% of tests in 2024. Empty or blocked washers. Trivial, but again a sign of the last owner's care.
  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 8,984 M5 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (2,881 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual M5 — 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 Q16,1032,881
2025 Q46,1392,868
2025 Q36,4282,572
2025 Q26,5062,506
2025 Q16,2862,724
2024 Q46,2972,723
2024 Q36,6002,459
2024 Q26,6972,373
2024 Q16,5352,477
2023 Q46,5782,556
2023 Q36,8962,270
2023 Q27,0012,151
2023 Q16,7582,213
2022 Q46,6102,326
2022 Q36,7192,104
2022 Q26,6732,020
2022 Q16,4862,075
2021 Q46,4322,140
2021 Q36,6151,893
2021 Q26,6581,824
2021 Q16,2301,917
2020 Q46,1801,979
2020 Q36,2951,793
2020 Q26,0751,764
2020 Q15,9381,881
2019 Q46,0101,823
2019 Q36,1781,601
2019 Q25,7941,543
2019 Q15,5141,563
2018 Q45,1281,586
2018 Q35,1911,371
2018 Q25,1481,292
2018 Q14,9811,321
2017 Q44,9511,377
2017 Q35,1861,198
2017 Q25,2371,163
2017 Q15,2331,126
2016 Q45,2081,185
2016 Q35,2561,009
2016 Q25,256955
2016 Q15,0101,041
2015 Q44,9501,088
2015 Q35,044890
2015 Q25,030847
2015 Q14,872863
2014 Q44,834888
2014 Q34,952754

Other BMW models

See how many of every BMW model are left

Common questions

How many BMW M5 cars are left in the UK?

6,103 were licensed and 2,881 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many BMW M5 cars are SORN?

2,881 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 8,984 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the M5 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 7,001 in 2023 Q2 and stand at 6,103 in 2026 Q1, down 13%. That is down 2% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 2,881 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 8,984 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the BMW M5 MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 87.3% of 3,524 BMW M5 MOTs passed first time — above the 71.2% UK average.

What does the M5 fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are condition (2.5% of tests), exhaust emissions (1.9% of tests), springs (1.6% of tests).

Does this say whether one M5 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.