UK vehicle statistics / BMW

How many BMW Z3 cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 6,686 licensed and 9,155 SORN vehicles in the UK within the BMW Z3 generic-model group.

Looking at a Z3?

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 Z3 is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the Z3 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 17,908 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 6,686 in 2026 Q1, down 63%. That is down 32% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 9,155 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 15,841 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.

Z3 MOT pass rate

In 2024, 68.9% of 10,632 BMW Z3 MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

  • Exhaust Emissions — 7.1% 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.
  • Brake Performance — 5.4% of tests. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Suspension Arms — 4.4% of tests. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Washers — 4.1% 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 Z3 MOT pass rate page.

Before you buy

  • Exhaust Emissions — 7.1% 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.
  • Brake Performance — 5.4% of tests in 2024. The brakes underperformed on the rolling road. Expect brake work rather than an adjustment.
  • Suspension Arms — 4.4% of tests in 2024. Worn arms or bushes. A common age-related repair that affects handling and tyre wear.
  • Washers — 4.1% 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 15,841 Z3 vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 2 is SORN (9,155 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 63% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 17,908. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual Z3 — 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 Q16,6869,155
2025 Q46,7079,209
2025 Q38,6387,334
2025 Q28,9097,131
2025 Q17,1298,938
2024 Q47,1279,042
2024 Q39,0767,415
2024 Q29,3447,158
2024 Q17,8968,012
2023 Q47,7999,030
2023 Q39,9977,027
2023 Q210,4076,579
2023 Q18,6997,536
2022 Q48,7238,567
2022 Q310,6916,712
2022 Q210,9296,320
2022 Q19,4937,245
2021 Q49,4008,308
2021 Q311,5136,291
2021 Q211,6476,050
2021 Q19,7797,037
2020 Q49,8498,208
2020 Q311,7966,387
2020 Q211,5436,157
2020 Q110,2327,596
2019 Q410,8517,425
2019 Q313,1385,371
2019 Q213,4204,842
2019 Q111,8745,630
2018 Q411,9896,771
2018 Q314,2354,631
2018 Q214,3834,145
2018 Q112,6645,032
2017 Q412,8526,147
2017 Q315,0964,116
2017 Q215,4053,716
2017 Q113,8414,254
2016 Q414,0035,327
2016 Q316,0223,301
2016 Q216,1833,039
2016 Q114,6884,261
2015 Q414,8174,751
2015 Q316,9322,723
2015 Q217,1332,444
2015 Q115,4523,049
2014 Q415,6984,200
2014 Q317,9082,193

Other BMW models

See how many of every BMW model are left

Common questions

How many BMW Z3 cars are left in the UK?

6,686 were licensed and 9,155 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many BMW Z3 cars are SORN?

9,155 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 15,841 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Z3 disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 17,908 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 6,686 in 2026 Q1, down 63%. That is down 32% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 9,155 are declared SORN — 1 in 2 of the 15,841 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What is the BMW Z3 MOT pass rate?

In 2024, 68.9% of 10,632 BMW Z3 MOTs passed first time — below the 71.2% UK average.

What does the Z3 fail its MOT on?

The most common initial failure categories in 2024 are exhaust emissions (7.1% of tests), brake performance (5.4% of tests), suspension arms (4.4% of tests).

Does this say whether one Z3 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.