How many BMW Z1 cars are left?

Name: BMW Z1 licensed and SORN statistics
Creator: Department for Transport and DVLA
License: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 40 licensed and 72 SORN vehicles in the UK within the BMW Z1 generic-model group.

Looking at a Z1?

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 Z1 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the Z1 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 85 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 40 in 2026 Q1, down 53%. That is up 14% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 72 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 112 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.

Fuel

DfT codes every vehicle in the BMW Z1 generic-model group as petrol.

Before you buy

Ask why it was off the road — Of the 112 Z1 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (72 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 53% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 85. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
Check the actual Z1 — 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.

Quarter	Licensed	SORN
2026 Q1	40	72
2025 Q4	39	74
2025 Q3	55	55
2025 Q2	52	57
2025 Q1	39	69
2024 Q4	38	70
2024 Q3	53	57
2024 Q2	50	60
2024 Q1	27	71
2023 Q4	29	83
2023 Q3	51	64
2023 Q2	55	60
2023 Q1	38	67
2022 Q4	37	78
2022 Q3	61	56
2022 Q2	63	52
2022 Q1	43	62
2021 Q4	39	75
2021 Q3	53	61
2021 Q2	57	56
2021 Q1	35	73
2020 Q4	37	77
2020 Q3	52	64
2020 Q2	50	59
2020 Q1	40	71
2019 Q4	45	70
2019 Q3	63	52
2019 Q2	64	47
2019 Q1	49	53
2018 Q4	50	66
2018 Q3	72	43
2018 Q2	69	43
2018 Q1	48	51
2017 Q4	47	63
2017 Q3	67	45
2017 Q2	69	42
2017 Q1	49	50
2016 Q4	54	58
2016 Q3	76	37
2016 Q2	74	37
2016 Q1	58	54
2015 Q4	59	60
2015 Q3	80	38
2015 Q2	79	36
2015 Q1	59	48
2014 Q4	59	58
2014 Q3	85	33

Other BMW models

3 Series — 465,380 licensed. MOT pass rate
1 Series — 400,915 licensed. MOT pass rate
5 Series — 196,710 licensed. MOT pass rate
2 Series — 146,547 licensed. MOT pass rate
X1 — 132,654 licensed. MOT pass rate
X3 — 124,814 licensed. MOT pass rate

See how many of every BMW model are left

Common questions

How many BMW Z1 cars are left in the UK?

40 were licensed and 72 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many BMW Z1 cars are SORN?

72 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 112 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Z1 disappearing?

What fuel is the Z1 coded as?

DfT codes every vehicle in the BMW Z1 generic-model group as petrol.

Does this say whether one Z1 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.