MERCEDES · MERCEDES 500 · Cars
MERCEDES 500 Uncommon
As of 2026 Q1, 4,078 MERCEDES 500s remain registered in the UK — an increasingly uncommon sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 4,435 in 2017 Q3 — only 92% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 357 cars. They're disappearing at roughly 50 a year (1.2% of what's left), a pace that would halve the survivors by around 2082 if it held — though in practice the last, most-cherished examples tend to linger far longer. Tellingly, 70% are declared SORN — kept off the road in garages and barns rather than driven, the signature of a car being looked after rather than used up.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Uncommon — a few thousand still about (4,078).
Rarer than 22% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
📉 Rate of decline
Disappearing at about 50 a year (1.2% of survivors). At that pace roughly 3,833 would remain in 5 years, and half the current fleet is gone by around ~2082.
About the 500
The Mercedes-Benz W211 is the third generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class made from 2002 to 2009 in sedan/saloon and station wagon/estate configurations – replacing the W210 E-Class models and superseded by the Mercedes-Benz W212 in 2009. The C219, marketed as the CLS, was introduced as a niche model in 2005, based on W211 mechanicals. Launched in 2002 for the 2003 model year, the W211 E-Class was another evolution of the previous model. Before North American sales began, the car was shown in the 2002 movie Men in Black II. The W211 development program began in 1997, followed by design work. The final...
MERCEDES 500 — questions & answers
How many MERCEDES 500 are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 4,078 MERCEDES 500 were still registered in the UK — 1,220 licensed and on the road, plus 2,858 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the MERCEDES 500 rare?
The MERCEDES 500 is uncommon, with 4,078 still about, making it rarer than 22% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the MERCEDES 500 increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of MERCEDES 500 on UK roads rose by 8 (0.2%). At the current rate of decline, roughly 3,833 would remain in 5 years.
What fuel do most MERCEDES 500 use?
Most MERCEDES 500 run on petrol — about 100% of those still registered, with the rest split across diesel.
When did the MERCEDES 500 peak?
The MERCEDES 500 peaked at 4,435 registered in 2017 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.