UK vehicle statistics / Sunbeam

How many Sunbeam Rapier cars are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 489 licensed and 235 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Sunbeam Rapier generic-model group.

Looking at a Rapier?

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

Is the Rapier disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 513 in 2022 Q4 and stand at 489 in 2026 Q1, down 5%. That is up 2% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 235 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 724 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 Sunbeam Rapier generic-model group as petrol.

Before you buy

  • Ask why it was off the road — Of the 724 Rapier vehicles still on the DVLA record, 1 in 3 is SORN (235 at 2026 Q1). A car that has been laid up needs a closer look at brakes, tyres and the MOT history.
  • Check the actual Rapier — 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 Q1489235
2025 Q4483234
2025 Q3485233
2025 Q2498222
2025 Q1499222
2024 Q4501213
2024 Q3510211
2024 Q2508209
2024 Q1504206
2023 Q4498207
2023 Q3503201
2023 Q2509196
2023 Q1511196
2022 Q4513195
2022 Q3507196
2022 Q2507196
2022 Q1501201
2021 Q4498203
2021 Q3491205
2021 Q2490208
2021 Q1480211
2020 Q4480206
2020 Q3472206
2020 Q2475205
2020 Q1474205
2019 Q4466209
2019 Q3469207
2019 Q2469211
2019 Q1466210
2018 Q4460217
2018 Q3450219
2018 Q2436229
2018 Q1409252
2017 Q4414244
2017 Q3416241
2017 Q2423239
2017 Q1421223
2016 Q4427220
2016 Q3430210
2016 Q2428208
2016 Q1418209
2015 Q4425205
2015 Q3434188
2015 Q2437178
2015 Q1425185
2014 Q4417187
2014 Q3427183

Other Sunbeam models

See how many of every Sunbeam model are left

Common questions

How many Sunbeam Rapier cars are left in the UK?

489 were licensed and 235 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Sunbeam Rapier cars are SORN?

235 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 724 still on the DVLA record at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the Rapier disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 513 in 2022 Q4 and stand at 489 in 2026 Q1, down 5%. That is up 2% in the five years since 2021 Q1. A further 235 are declared SORN — 1 in 3 of the 724 still on the DVLA record is off the road, laid up, part-restored or waiting to be sold.

What fuel is the Rapier coded as?

DfT codes every vehicle in the Sunbeam Rapier generic-model group as petrol.

Does this say whether one Rapier 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.