AUSTIN · AUSTIN SPRITE · Cars
AUSTIN SPRITE Rare
As of 2026 Q1, 604 AUSTIN SPRITEs remain registered in the UK — a genuinely rare sight on today's roads. Numbers are at their highest recorded level since the model first appeared in our data in 2014 Q3. Unusually, the numbers are actually rising — up 9 (1.5%) over the past year, as imports and barn-finds rejoin the register faster than cars leave it.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Rare — fewer than 1,000 remain (604 in the latest data).
Rarer than 41% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
Trend
About the SPRITE
The Austin-Healey Sprite is a small open sports car produced in the United Kingdom from 1958 to 1971. The Sprite was announced to the press in Monte Carlo by the British Motor Corporation on 20 May 1958, two days after that year's Monaco Grand Prix. It was intended to be a low-cost model that "a chap could keep in his bike shed", yet be the successor to the sporting versions of the pre-war Austin Seven. The Sprite was designed by the Donald Healey Motor Company, with production being undertaken at the MG factory at Abingdon. It first went on sale for £669, using a tuned version of the Austin A...
AUSTIN SPRITE — questions & answers
How many AUSTIN SPRITE are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 604 AUSTIN SPRITE were still registered in the UK — 408 licensed and on the road, plus 196 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the AUSTIN SPRITE rare?
The AUSTIN SPRITE is rare — fewer than 1,000 remain (604), making it rarer than 41% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the AUSTIN SPRITE increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of AUSTIN SPRITE on UK roads rose by 9 (1.5%).
What fuel do most AUSTIN SPRITE use?
Most AUSTIN SPRITE run on petrol — about 100% of those still registered, with the rest split across electric, diesel.
When did the AUSTIN SPRITE peak?
The AUSTIN SPRITE peaked at 604 registered in 2026 Q1, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.