Car statistics
Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SL statistics
How many Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SLs are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, and how the 280 SL compares with other versions of the Mercedes-Benz 200. Built from DVLA licensing records.
- Licensed in Great Britain 1,483 +6.1% on a year earlier
- Declared SORN 703 Off the road, not taxed
- Still registered 91.8% Other Mercedes-Benz 200 versions 22.0%
- Peak year 1997 1,995 licensed
- Share of Mercedes-Benz 200s 17.3% of those licensed or SORN
- Declared off the road 32.2% of those still registered are SORN
How many Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SLs are left in Great Britain?
There were 1,483 Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SLs licensed in Great Britain at the end of June 2026, and a further 703 declared off the road (SORN). The licensed count is 25.7% lower than its peak of 1,995 in 1997.
Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SLs licensed and SORN in Great Britain
This data records SORN from 2007, so the SORN line starts there.
| Year | Licensed | Declared SORN |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 1,988 | – |
| 1995 | 1,876 | – |
| 1996 | 1,956 | – |
| 1997 | 1,995 | – |
| 1998 | 1,966 | – |
| 1999 | 1,956 | – |
| 2000 | 1,878 | – |
| 2001 | 1,798 | – |
| 2002 | 1,802 | – |
| 2003 | 1,766 | – |
| 2004 | 1,746 | – |
| 2005 | 1,649 | – |
| 2006 | 1,574 | – |
| 2007 | 1,479 | 519 |
| 2008 | 1,377 | 570 |
| 2009 | 1,361 | 594 |
| 2010 | 1,292 | 639 |
| 2011 | 1,272 | 653 |
| 2012 | 1,215 | 699 |
| 2013 | 1,196 | 803 |
| 2014 | 1,170 | 828 |
| 2015 | 1,174 | 852 |
| 2016 | 1,169 | 888 |
| 2017 | 1,112 | 990 |
| 2018 | 1,142 | 990 |
| 2019 | 1,158 | 987 |
| 2020 | 1,147 | 1,011 |
| 2021 | 1,165 | 986 |
| 2022 | 1,189 | 991 |
| 2023 | 1,160 | 994 |
| 2024 | 1,254 | 887 |
| 2025 | 1,364 | 821 |
| 2026 | 1,483 | 703 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Fuel type
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
How many Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SLs have survived?
91.8% of Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SLs are still registered (licensed or SORN), measured against the most on the road at any year end since 1994. For other versions of the Mercedes-Benz 200 from the same era, the figure is 22.0%, so Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SLs are 4.2 times as likely to have survived.
Share still registered (licensed or SORN)
Compared with 11 other versions of the Mercedes-Benz 200 from the same era.
| Version | Share still registered |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SL | 91.8% |
| Other Mercedes-Benz 200 versions of the same age | 22.0% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of June 2026 Updated
Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SL engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 1,382 Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SLs licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 89.9% have an engine of 2,701cc to 2,800cc, and 9.0% have an engine of 2,801cc to 2,900cc.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
| Engine size | Share of those licensed |
|---|---|
| 2,701cc to 2,800cc 1,243 licensed | 89.9% |
| 2,801cc to 2,900cc 125 licensed | 9.0% |
| Other sizes 14 licensed | 1.0% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2014 to end of 2025 Updated
| Engine size | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,701–2,800cc | Petrol | 1,241 | 89.8% |
| 2,801–2,900cc | Petrol | 125 | 9.0% |
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. This covers cars DVLA records under this version’s name only; the Mercedes-Benz 200 page covers every version. How we use engine sizes.
Mercedes-Benz 200 MOT reliability
There were not enough MOT tests of Mercedes-Benz 200s in 2025 to publish reliable figures: we need at least 1,000 tests of cars aged three and over. DVSA names the model, not the version, so no separate figures exist for the 280 SL.
Other versions of the Mercedes-Benz 200
Versions of the Mercedes-Benz 200 with their own page. The Mercedes-Benz 200 page covers all 6,094 licensed, whatever the version.
| Version | Licensed | SORN | Still registered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SL | 1,483 | 703 | 91.8% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SE | 415 | 391 | 17.0% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 230 CE | 271 | 346 | 29.2% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 280 CEW | 175 | 184 | 26.7% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 230CE | 94 | 217 | 30.9% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 230 | 151 | 122 | 20.8% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 280 CE | 85 | 102 | 42.7% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 230 GE | 43 | 127 | 34.4% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 280 GE A2 | 48 | 91 | 40.5% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 280 GE A4 | 43 | 89 | 31.1% |
| Mercedes-Benz 200 220 CE | 34 | 89 | 31.9% |
Data stories to read next
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of June 2026 | 2,186 Mercedes-Benz 200 280 SL records (licensed and SORN) | 2 October 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, from 2007.
- This version groups DVLA’s detailed model names “280 SL AUTO”, “280 SL”. Engine size, gearbox, number of doors and fuel are ignored, so every engine and gearbox counts together.
- Survival compares the number still registered (licensed or SORN) with the most licensed at any year end since 1994, plus any first registered after that year. Other versions are those of the same model whose licensed count peaked in the same years, up to 2001.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.