Rv8
Mg · on record 1994 to 2025
The MG RV8 was a limited 1990s revival of the classic MGB roadster, using a new body shell based on the old design, luxurious trim and Rover V8 power. It was aimed largely at enthusiasts and export markets rather than serving as a modern mass market sports car. Low production and direct classic associations have made surviving RV8s collectible, with many receiving careful use from new.
VULNERABLE
Red List classification, from population, five year trajectory and survival against peak. Reviewed each census.
247
licensed vehicles
2025 census
2025 census
60.1% of the peak fleet remains licensed
373
declared SORN
total surviving
peak 411 in 2007 · −10 vehicles a year, five year trend
Population history
Licensed and SORN vehicles at each census. The filters below apply to the family population, MOT and registration figures. They do not alter the generation history above.
Licensed
SORN
Latest census observation
At the average decline recorded over the latest five years, the licensed fleet would reach zero around 2049.
Illustrative projection only; vehicle populations rarely decline linearly. Late fleets typically flatten as surviving examples enter preservation.
Inside the surviving fleet
AutoCensus parses every DVLA variant description, so the fleet can be read by fuel and specification rather than as one number.
First registrations by year
When surviving examples first joined the British fleet.
Recent UK first registrations
This family is no longer sold new. These figures are imports and historic vehicles joining the British register for the first time.
MOT reliability
DVSA test results for this family, 2005 to 2025.
Pass rate by year
| Failure reason | Failures | Share of all tests |
|---|---|---|
| An insecure, split or missing steering rack gaiter | 154 | 1.2% |
| A wiper blade insecure, missing or in such a condition that it does not clear the windscreen effectively to give the driver an adequate view of the road (through the windscreen) to the left and right sides of the vehicle, as well as to the front | 111 | 0.8% |
| Little or no braking effort is recorded from the brake on any wheel, indicating clearly that the brake is not functioning correctly | 109 | 0.8% |
| A stop lamp inoperative or less than 50% of the light sources illuminating | 104 | 0.8% |
| The calculated out-of-balance of the brakes across an axle is greater than 30% | 85 | 0.6% |
| Amalgamation of failures for all headlamp testers | 81 | 0.6% |
| During the 2nd fast idle test the carbon monoxide (co) exceeds the vehicle specific or default limits continuously for the last 5 seconds of the 30 second countdown: | 80 | 0.6% |
| The windscreen washers do not provide enough liquid to clear the windscreen in conjunction with the wiper(s) | 78 | 0.6% |
Counted across every recorded test, 2005 to 2025. Advisories are excluded.
Where the Rv8 remains
Based on MOT test locations, 2025. Test location is a proxy: a vehicle is counted where it was last tested, not where it is kept.
| Postcode area | Vehicles tested | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| OX | 16 | 81% |
| TN | 16 | 88% |
| NR | 15 | 87% |
| SO | 15 | 87% |
| IP | 14 | 79% |
| BS | 11 | 100% |
| DE | 10 | 100% |
| SN | 10 | 90% |
| RG | 10 | 100% |
| ST | 10 | 80% |
| NG | 9 | 100% |
| NN | 9 | 100% |
| NE | 9 | 100% |
| CV | 9 | 100% |
| B | 9 | 89% |
| DY | 9 | 100% |
| HP | 8 | 75% |
| PE | 8 | 88% |
| GL | 8 | 100% |
| YO | 8 | 88% |
| CO | 8 | 100% |
| BA | 8 | 100% |
| G | 7 | 86% |
| SP | 7 | 86% |
| RH | 7 | 100% |
| GU | 7 | 86% |
| WR | 7 | 100% |
| TA | 7 | 86% |
| CH | 7 | 86% |
| ME | 6 | 83% |
| SK | 6 | 100% |
| WS | 6 | 100% |
| MK | 6 | 100% |
| PO | 6 | 100% |
| CB | 6 | 100% |
| BN | 6 | 83% |
| LN | 6 | 100% |
| LA | 6 | 100% |
| BH | 6 | 83% |
| PL | 5 | 100% |
| EX | 5 | 80% |
| SA | 5 | 100% |
| BD | 5 | 80% |
| TW | 5 | 100% |
| CA | 5 | 80% |
| SG | 5 | 100% |
| DA | 5 | 100% |
| WF | 5 | 80% |
| KT | 5 | 100% |
| S | 4 | 100% |
| SY | 4 | 100% |
| LL | 4 | 100% |
| TQ | 4 | 75% |
| CW | 4 | 100% |
| DL | 4 | 100% |
| TF | 4 | 100% |
| CM | 4 | 75% |
| LE | 4 | 100% |
| FK | 4 | 75% |
| BL | 4 | 100% |
| HD | 4 | 100% |
| HU | 4 | 75% |
| SL | 4 | 100% |
| PR | 3 | 100% |
| HG | 3 | 67% |
| CF | 3 | 100% |
| RM | 3 | 67% |
| AL | 3 | 100% |
| DN | 3 | 100% |
| AB | 3 | 100% |
| DT | 3 | 100% |
| CT | 3 | 100% |
| EH | 3 | 100% |
| L | 3 | 100% |
| TS | 3 | 100% |
| KA | 2 | 100% |
| M | 2 | 100% |
| ML | 2 | 100% |
| EN | 2 | 100% |
| FY | 2 | 100% |
| LS | 2 | 100% |
| WA | 2 | 100% |
| SS | 2 | 100% |
| NW | 2 | 100% |
| NP | 2 | 50% |
| HR | 2 | 100% |
| BB | 1 | 100% |
| TD | 1 | 100% |
| LU | 1 | 100% |
| TR | 1 | 100% |
| IG | 1 | 100% |
| IV | 1 | 100% |
| SR | 1 | 100% |
| CR | 1 | 100% |
| WV | 1 | 0% |
| OL | 1 | 100% |
| UB | 1 | 100% |
| SE | 1 | 100% |
| KY | 1 | 100% |
| WD | 1 | 100% |
| DG | 1 | 100% |
| N | 1 | 100% |
How this record was calculated
LATEST CENSUS2025
POPULATION SOURCEDVLA VEH0220 annual
HISTORY SOURCEDVLA VEH0120 GB · to 2013
MOT SOURCEDVSA results · to 2025
FAMILY DEFINITIONMG RV8
PROCESSED20 Sep 2026
Full methodology
Population history combines DVLA VEH0120 Q4 census observations through 2013 with the annual VEH0220 census from 2014 onward. Figures before 2014 cover Great Britain only. Historical VEH0120 is used only when its overlapping UK observations reconcile to the current canonical family definition. Vehicles are grouped into this family using the DVLA GenModel together with durable routing rules for known inconsistencies.
Variant figures are parsed from raw DVLA model descriptions and the original string is always retained. Configuration is only assigned where the model description explicitly identifies it; a blank configuration is not treated as a two door Wrangler. Blank transmission fields are shown as manual because DVLA records the field for automatic vehicles.
MOT figures count tests, not vehicles, and geographic figures count each vehicle at its most recent test location. The decline projection is a straight line fitted to the latest five years and is illustrative only.