How many Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes 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 and 20,771 DVSA MOT tests.
Licensed in Great Britain13,868−3.6% on a year earlier
Declared SORN7,494Off the road, not taxed
MOT first-time pass rate, 202582.9%Cars of the same ages 63.9%
Rank by number licensedNo. 300of 1,159 models we cover
Peak year201618,717 licensed
Average annual mileage2,260miles a year
How many Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes are left in Great Britain?
There were 13,868 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 7,494 declared off the road (SORN).
That is 25.9% fewer than the peak of 18,717 in 2016.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes licensed in Great Britain
Numbers peaked in 2016 and have fallen every year since, as older cars are scrapped faster than new ones are registered.
In 2025, 82.9% of Mercedes-Benz SL-Class MOT tests were passed first time,
against 72.8% for all cars.
Cars of the same ages as the Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes tested pass 63.9% of the time, so the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class does better than average for its age, by 19.0 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 82.9%.
MOT first-time pass rate by age: Mercedes-Benz SL-Class vs all cars
Comparing like with like: each bar pair covers cars of the same age, so an older average age does not count against a model.
0%
50%
100%
6–7 years
8–10 years
11–14 years
15–19 years
20+ years
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
All cars
MOT first-time pass rate by vehicle age, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class compared with all cars
Suspension is the most common reason a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class fails its MOT,
appearing on 29.8% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in
more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%.
4.4% of Mercedes-Benz SL-Class tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.
Most common MOT failure categories
Share of failed Mercedes-Benz SL-Class MOT tests with at least one defect in each category
Most common Mercedes-Benz SL-Class MOT defects and advisories
The single most common reason a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class failed its MOT in 2025 was
“Coil spring: fractured or broken”, on 7.1% of 3,548 failed tests.
40.2% of tests ended with at least one advisory, a problem to watch that did not fail the test; the most common was “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge”.
The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. A test can fail for more than one.
Most common specific MOT defects on failed Mercedes-Benz SL-Class tests, 2025
17 years of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2008 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (84.1% passed first time) and the 1995 cars worst (79.8%).
Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes by year of first registration
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left:
licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025.
Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great
Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class annual mileage
The average Mercedes-Benz SL-Class covers 2,260 miles a year,
worked out from odometer readings at consecutive MOT tests.
Average annual mileage by age
0
1k
2k
3k
4k
3,921
4–5 years
3,586
6–7 years
3,537
8–10 years
3,213
11–14 years
2,475
15–19 years
1,471
20+ years
Average annual mileage of a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class by vehicle age
Registrations of Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes for the first time in Great Britain peaked at 3,142 in 2003. In 2025, 10 were registered. With almost none registered new, the number on the road is likely to keep falling.
Registered for the first time, by year
0
1k
2k
3k
4k
’01
’02
’03
’04
’05
’06
’07
’08
’09
’10
’11
’12
’13
’14
’15
’16
’17
’18
’19
’20
’21
’22
’23
’24
’25
Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes registered for the first time in Great Britain, by year
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class engine sizes and fuel types
Of the 14,182 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 21.4% have an engine of 3,401cc to 3,500cc, and 17.4% have an engine of 2,901cc to 3,000cc. The share with an engine of 2,901cc to 3,000cc has grown from 1.8% in 2014 to 17.4%.
Engine sizes, end of 2025
DVLA records engine size in 100cc bands.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, by engine size
Engine size
Share of those licensed
3,401cc to 3,500cc 3,033 licensed
21.4%
2,901cc to 3,000cc 2,462 licensed
17.4%
4,901cc to 5,000cc 2,153 licensed
15.2%
3,701cc to 3,800cc 1,877 licensed
13.2%
3,101cc to 3,200cc 1,435 licensed
10.1%
5,401cc to 5,500cc 1,411 licensed
9.9%
4,601cc to 4,700cc 864 licensed
6.1%
2,701cc to 2,800cc 502 licensed
3.5%
Other sizes 445 licensed
3.1%
Source:DfT / DVLAEnd of 2014 to end of 2025Updated
Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size and fuel together, end of 2025
Engine size
Fuel
Licensed
Share
3,401–3,500cc
Petrol
3,033
21.4%
2,901–3,000cc
Petrol
2,462
17.4%
4,901–5,000cc
Petrol
2,152
15.2%
3,701–3,800cc
Petrol
1,874
13.2%
3,101–3,200cc
Petrol
1,431
10.1%
5,401–5,500cc
Petrol
1,411
9.9%
4,601–4,700cc
Petrol
864
6.1%
2,701–2,800cc
Petrol
502
3.5%
6,201–6,300cc
Petrol
151
1.1%
Engine sizes, 2014 to 2025
Share of those licensed at the end of each year, for the most common sizes.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes licensed in the UK by engine size, share of each year’s total
Year
3,401–3,500cc
2,901–3,000cc
4,901–5,000cc
3,701–3,800cc
2014
21.4%
1.8%
21.5%
17.4%
2015
20.6%
5.0%
20.6%
16.6%
2016
19.9%
8.2%
19.7%
16.1%
2017
19.9%
10.1%
18.8%
15.8%
2018
19.7%
11.9%
18.3%
15.3%
2019
19.6%
13.5%
17.7%
15.0%
2020
19.8%
14.8%
17.2%
14.7%
2021
20.0%
14.8%
16.9%
14.5%
2022
20.3%
15.5%
16.6%
14.4%
2023
20.8%
16.2%
16.0%
14.2%
2024
21.4%
17.1%
15.5%
13.4%
2025
21.4%
17.4%
15.2%
13.2%
Source:DfT / DVLAEnd of 2014 to end of 2025Updated
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.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class fuel economy and CO2
The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class from 2000, when the data begins, to 2024. On the WLTP test (listings 2020 to 2024), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and petrol hybrid versions ranges from 21.1 to 31.7 mpg, with CO2 of 201 to 306 g/km; plug-in hybrid versions are rated at 36.7 mpg (weighted). On the older NEDC test (listings 2000 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol versions ranges from 18.7 to 39.2 mpg, with CO2 of 169 to 362 g/km.
Official WLTP figures by engine and fuel, listed 2020 to 2024
Official WLTP figures by engine and fuel, listed 2020 to 2024
Engine and fuel
Combined mpg
CO2 g/km
Listed
Euro standard
Versions
3.0 petrol
28.8–29.7
215–221
2020–2021
Euro 6d‑TEMP
2
4.0 petrol
21.1–23.0
278–306
2022–2024
Euro 6 to Euro 6d
4
4.7 petrol
26.4–27.4
235–244
2020–2021
Euro 6d‑TEMP
2
2.0 petrol hybrid
29.7–31.7
201–217
2022–2024
Euro 6 to Euro 6d
2
4.0 plug-in hybrid
36.7
175
2024
Euro 6
1
Older NEDC figures, listed 2000 to 2018 (11 engine and fuel groups)
Official NEDC figures by engine and fuel, listed 2000 to 2018
Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in
real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
NEDC figures (in VCA’s data until September 2018) and WLTP figures (from the 2019 guide)
come from different tests, so they are shown separately and should not be compared.
Plug-in hybrid figures are VCA’s weighted values, which count driving on battery power as
well as on fuel.
VCA’s data has no Mercedes-Benz versions for 2019, so the years listed may leave out years the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class was on sale.
Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in
VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was
listed.
Matched from VCA’s model names “SL-Class (R230)”, “SL-Class (R129) Coupé/Roadster”, “SL-Class Model Year 2010”, “SL Model Year 2023”. How we use VCA’s figures.
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class safety recalls
DVSA lists 30 safety recalls for the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class since 1992, the first in 2001. The most recent was launched on 3 April 2025.
SRPC2501 - Processor Starter/Generator
Launched 3 April 2025DVSA recall R/2025/124Manufacturer ref. SRPC2501 / 5496242
Defect
Mercedes-Benz has determined that on certain AMG GT Coupe (192 platform)S-Class (223 platform) SL (232 platform) GLC (254 platform) and AMG GT 4-doorsCoupe (290 platform) vehicles with hybrid powertrain the processor of the control unit of the high-voltage starter generator might experience sporadic overload.
Remedy
As a remedy Mercedes-Benz AG via its Mercedes-Benz service partners will update the software of the high-voltage starter generator on the affected vehicles.
A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. 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.
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.
MOT figures cover normal tests of cars aged three and over in 2025; retests are excluded. Age is rounded to the nearest year.
DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
