UK vehicle statistics / BMW

How many BMW R Series cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 55,162 licensed and 27,159 SORN vehicles in the UK within the BMW R Series generic-model group.

Looking at a R 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 R Series is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the R Series disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 59,791 in 2025 Q3 and stand at 55,162 in 2026 Q1, down 8%. That is up 26% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 27,159 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 82,321 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.

Before you buy

  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 82,321 R Series vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (27,159 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual R 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 Q155,16227,159
2025 Q453,86327,337
2025 Q359,79120,838
2025 Q259,48420,177
2025 Q153,54024,949
2024 Q452,12025,013
2024 Q357,44619,432
2024 Q257,22618,640
2024 Q152,00620,388
2023 Q449,97823,257
2023 Q355,22417,772
2023 Q255,13316,957
2023 Q150,25318,516
2022 Q448,93420,991
2022 Q353,28016,202
2022 Q252,65315,491
2022 Q148,60617,153
2021 Q446,70519,517
2021 Q350,60715,022
2021 Q249,36314,715
2021 Q143,81616,768
2020 Q443,36718,817
2020 Q347,40514,622
2020 Q245,72414,327
2020 Q142,69717,102
2019 Q443,25916,628
2019 Q346,97812,811
2019 Q246,57711,948
2019 Q143,42612,914
2018 Q441,98915,006
2018 Q345,46211,208
2018 Q244,92410,578
2018 Q141,30711,817
2017 Q440,71013,257
2017 Q344,0279,926
2017 Q243,3549,490
2017 Q140,0009,999
2016 Q438,93111,588
2016 Q341,1908,559
2016 Q240,0188,194
2016 Q136,7079,804
2015 Q435,90410,365
2015 Q337,9697,590
2015 Q237,0647,260
2015 Q133,6027,984
2014 Q433,1899,351
2014 Q336,0646,592

Other BMW models

See how many of every BMW model are left

Common questions

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

55,162 were licensed and 27,159 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many BMW R Series cars are SORN?

27,159 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 82,321 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the R Series disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 59,791 in 2025 Q3 and stand at 55,162 in 2026 Q1, down 8%. That is up 26% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 27,159 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 82,321 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

Does this say whether one R 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.