VOLVO · VOLVO 260 · Cars
VOLVO 260 Ultra-rare
As of 2025 Q4, 31 VOLVO 260s remain registered in the UK — one of the rarest cars in Britain on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 60 in 2014 Q3 — only 52% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 29 cars. They're disappearing at roughly 4 a year (12.9% of what's left), a pace that would halve the survivors by around 2030 if it held — though in practice the last, most-cherished examples tend to linger far longer. In all, the VOLVO 260 is rarer than 70% of the 2,408 UK car models we track, putting it firmly in 2025's endangered class.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Genuinely rare — only 31 left on UK roads.
Rarer than 70% of the 2,408 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
📉 Rate of decline
Disappearing at about 4 a year (12.9% of survivors). At that pace roughly 15 would remain in 5 years, and half the current fleet is gone by around ~2030.
About the 260
The Volvo 200 Series (designated internally as the 240 and 260 models) was a range of mid-size cars manufactured by Swedish automaker Volvo Cars from 1974 to 1993. Designed by Jan Wilsgaard, the series was developed from the Volvo 140 Series and incorporated safety innovations from Volvo's VESC experimental safety vehicle program. The 200 Series was produced in sedan, station wagon, and limited convertible body styles. Over 2.8 million units were manufactured during its 19-year production run, making it one of Volvo's most successful model lines. The series established Volvo's reputation for safety...
VOLVO 260 — questions & answers
How many VOLVO 260 are left in the UK?
As of 2025 Q4, 31 VOLVO 260 were still registered in the UK — 19 licensed and on the road, plus 12 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the VOLVO 260 rare?
The VOLVO 260 is genuinely rare, with only 31 left, making it rarer than 70% of the 2,408 UK car models we track.
Is the VOLVO 260 increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of VOLVO 260 on UK roads rose by 1 (3.3%). At the current rate of decline, roughly 15 would remain in 5 years.
What fuel do most VOLVO 260 use?
Most VOLVO 260 run on diesel — about 68% of those still registered, with the rest split across petrol.
When did the VOLVO 260 peak?
The VOLVO 260 peaked at 60 registered in 2014 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.