ROVER · ROVER VITESSE · Cars
ROVER VITESSE Rare
As of 2025 Q4, 200 ROVER VITESSEs remain registered in the UK — a genuinely rare sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 236 in 2014 Q3 — only 85% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 36 cars. Numbers have held broadly steady over recent years rather than falling away — often the mark of a model that owners deliberately preserve. Tellingly, 92% 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. In all, the ROVER VITESSE is rarer than 52% of the 2,408 UK car models we track.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Rare — fewer than 1,000 remain (200 in the latest data).
Rarer than 52% of the 2,408 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
Trend
About the VITESSE
The Rover SD1 is an executive car which was manufactured by British Leyland (BL) from 1976 until 1986 and marketed under the Rover marque. Sold with a variety of names, the code name "SD1" refers to the "Specialist Division" of BL (later known as the "Jaguar-Rover-Triumph" division), with the "1" denoting it as the first product of their in-house design team. A large five-door hatchback with fastback styling, the SD1 has a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and was sold with various petrol engines, including the Rover V8, as well as a diesel engine. The SD1 was introduced as a replacement for...
ROVER VITESSE — questions & answers
How many ROVER VITESSE are left in the UK?
As of 2025 Q4, 200 ROVER VITESSE were still registered in the UK — 16 licensed and on the road, plus 184 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the ROVER VITESSE rare?
The ROVER VITESSE is rare — fewer than 1,000 remain (200), making it rarer than 52% of the 2,408 UK car models we track.
Is the ROVER VITESSE increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of ROVER VITESSE on UK roads held steady.
What fuel do most ROVER VITESSE use?
Most ROVER VITESSE run on petrol — about 100% of those still registered, with the rest split across diesel.
When did the ROVER VITESSE peak?
The ROVER VITESSE peaked at 236 registered in 2014 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.