VANDEN PLAS · VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS · Cars
VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS Rare
As of 2026 Q1, 714 VANDEN PLAS PRINCESSs 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 20 (2.9%) over the past year, as imports and barn-finds rejoin the register faster than cars leave it. Tellingly, 42% 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?
Rare — fewer than 1,000 remain (714 in the latest data).
Rarer than 38% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
Trend
About the PRINCESS
The Princess is a badge engineered variant of the Austin A99 Westminster, manufactured by BMC from 1959 to 1968 and marketed under the Vanden Plas marque. The model was launched in October 1959 under the name Princess 3-litre. From July 1960, these vehicles bore the name Vanden Plas Princess 3-litre, Vanden Plas having become a badge-engineered brand in its own right instead of being known as a coachbuilder for cars of other manufacturers. The 3-litre was superseded by the Vanden Plas Princess 4-litre R in 1964. The Princess was a great deal smaller and less than 44 per cent of the price of the...
VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS — questions & answers
How many VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 714 VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS were still registered in the UK — 417 licensed and on the road, plus 297 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS rare?
The VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS is rare — fewer than 1,000 remain (714), making it rarer than 38% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS on UK roads rose by 20 (2.9%).
What fuel do most VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS use?
Most VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS run on petrol — about 100% of those still registered, with the rest split across diesel.
When did the VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS peak?
The VANDEN PLAS PRINCESS peaked at 714 registered in 2026 Q1, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.