Car statistics
Ford Thunderbird statistics
How many Ford Thunderbirds are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, how new registrations have changed and which fuels they use. Built from DVLA licensing records.
- Licensed in Great Britain 251 +1.2% on a year earlier
- Declared SORN 93 Off the road, not taxed
- Rank by number licensed No. 968 of 1,159 models we cover
- Licensed count At its peak highest since 2002
- Declared off the road 27.0% of those still registered are SORN
- Most common fuel Petrol 99.6% of those licensed
How many Ford Thunderbirds are left in Great Britain?
There were 251 Ford Thunderbirds licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 93 declared off the road (SORN). That is the most on the road at any year end since 2002.
Ford Thunderbirds licensed in Great Britain
Numbers are still rising: the latest count is the highest in this series.
| Year | Licensed |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 11 |
| 2003 | 22 |
| 2004 | 40 |
| 2005 | 51 |
| 2006 | 63 |
| 2007 | 77 |
| 2008 | 77 |
| 2009 | 77 |
| 2010 | 78 |
| 2011 | 76 |
| 2012 | 79 |
| 2013 | 90 |
| 2014 | 97 |
| 2015 | 127 |
| 2016 | 141 |
| 2017 | 155 |
| 2018 | 203 |
| 2019 | 219 |
| 2020 | 236 |
| 2021 | 241 |
| 2022 | 247 |
| 2023 | 242 |
| 2024 | 248 |
| 2025 | 249 |
| 2026 | 251 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Ford Thunderbird MOT reliability
There were not enough MOT tests of Ford Thunderbirds in 2025 to publish reliable figures: we need at least 1,000 tests of cars aged three and over. Cars have their first MOT at three years old, so newer models appear once they reach that age. How we work out MOT figures.
Ford Thunderbird engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 251 Ford Thunderbirds licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 17.9% have an engine of 6,401cc to 6,500cc, and 15.5% have an engine of 5,101cc to 5,200cc. The share with an engine of 3,901cc to 4,000cc has fallen from 18.0% in 2015 to 8.4%.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 6,401cc to 6,500cc 45 licensed | 17.9% |
| 5,101cc to 5,200cc 39 licensed | 15.5% |
| 6,301cc to 6,400cc 39 licensed | 15.5% |
| 3,901cc to 4,000cc 21 licensed | 8.4% |
| 4,701cc to 4,800cc 16 licensed | 6.4% |
| 5,701cc to 5,800cc 14 licensed | 5.6% |
| 5,801cc to 5,900cc 12 licensed | 4.8% |
| 7,001cc to 7,100cc 11 licensed | 4.4% |
| 4,801cc to 4,900cc 8 licensed | 3.2% |
| 6,501cc to 6,600cc 7 licensed | 2.8% |
| 5,201cc to 5,300cc 6 licensed | 2.4% |
| 5,001cc to 5,100cc 5 licensed | 2.0% |
| 301cc to 400cc 4 licensed | 1.6% |
| 7,501cc to 7,600cc 3 licensed | 1.2% |
| 2,001cc to 2,100cc 2 licensed | 0.8% |
| 6,201cc to 6,300cc 2 licensed | 0.8% |
| 3,601cc to 3,700cc 1 licensed | 0.4% |
| 3,801cc to 3,900cc 1 licensed | 0.4% |
| 5,901cc to 6,000cc 1 licensed | 0.4% |
| Other sizes 14 licensed | 5.6% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6,401–6,500cc | Petrol | 45 | 17.9% |
| 5,101–5,200cc | Petrol | 39 | 15.5% |
| 6,301–6,400cc | Petrol | 39 | 15.5% |
| 3,901–4,000cc | Petrol | 21 | 8.4% |
| 4,701–4,800cc | Petrol | 16 | 6.4% |
| 5,701–5,800cc | Petrol | 14 | 5.6% |
| 5,801–5,900cc | Petrol | 12 | 4.8% |
| 7,001–7,100cc | Petrol | 11 | 4.4% |
| 4,801–4,900cc | Petrol | 8 | 3.2% |
| 6,501–6,600cc | Petrol | 7 | 2.8% |
Engine sizes, 2015 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.
| Year | 6,401–6,500cc | 5,101–5,200cc | 6,301–6,400cc | 3,901–4,000cc |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | – | – | – | – |
| 2015 | 10.9% | 8.6% | 15.6% | 18.0% |
| 2016 | 13.4% | 11.3% | 18.3% | 11.3% |
| 2017 | 12.8% | 12.2% | 14.1% | 14.1% |
| 2018 | 13.7% | 13.2% | 16.6% | 12.7% |
| 2019 | 17.3% | 15.0% | 15.9% | 8.6% |
| 2020 | 17.3% | 15.2% | 15.6% | 10.5% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | 15.2% | 16.8% | 9.0% |
| 2022 | 17.9% | 16.3% | 16.7% | 6.4% |
| 2023 | 18.4% | 15.9% | 16.7% | 5.3% |
| 2024 | 17.7% | 15.7% | 15.3% | 7.6% |
| 2025 | 17.9% | 15.5% | 15.5% | 8.4% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. How we use engine sizes.
Ford Thunderbird safety recalls
We found no recalls for the Ford Thunderbird in DVSA’s records since 1992. That does not mean none apply: DVSA sometimes records a recall under a range or chassis name we cannot match to a model. Check a specific car on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check.
A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Ford Thunderbird. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.
Compare the Ford Thunderbird with other Ford models
| Model | Licensed | Change on a year | SORN | Rank | Main fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Thunderbird | 251 | +1.2% | 93 | 968 | Petrol |
| Ford Fiesta | 1,249,904 | −5.2% | 111,058 | 1 | Petrol |
| Ford Focus | 857,445 | −6.6% | 100,497 | 4 | Petrol |
| Ford Kuga | 367,678 | +3.9% | 7,528 | 17 | Diesel |
| Ford Puma | 244,729 | +27.6% | 6,445 | 30 | Hybrid |
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 344 Thunderbird records (licensed and SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
| Registered for the first time | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | 2001 to 2025 | – | 15 September 2026 |
- Figures cover Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). Northern Ireland is not included.
- Licensed counts are vehicles with a current tax or exemption at the end of each year (or the latest quarter). SORN counts are shown separately.
- First registrations count vehicles registered in Great Britain for the first time, including used imports.
- Models are grouped by DVLA’s generic model name, so every generation and trim counts together.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.