Imp
Sunbeam · on record 1994 to 2025
The Sunbeam Imp was the more sporting and upmarket version of the rear engined Hillman Imp family, using the same compact body and aluminium engine with enhanced trim and performance. It gave Rootes a way to apply the Sunbeam badge to a small car rather than only larger sporting models. Surviving examples are uncommon and now appeal strongly to enthusiasts of the technically unusual Imp platform.
GROWING
Red List classification, from population, five year trajectory and survival against peak. Reviewed each census.
51
licensed vehicles
2025 census
2025 census
77.3% of the peak fleet remains licensed
47
declared SORN
total surviving
peak 66 in 1994 · +1 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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Little or no braking effort is recorded from the brake on any wheel, indicating clearly that the brake is not functioning correctly | 4 | 6.3% |
| Deliberate modification which significantly reduces the original strength, excessive corrosion, severe distortion, a fracture or an inadequate repair of a load bearing member or its supporting structure or supporting panelling within 30cm of any sub- | 3 | 4.8% |
| An obligatory headlamp inoperative, excessively damaged or deteriorated or has a product on the lens or light source so that the light output is well below that required to illuminate the road ahead | 2 | 3.2% |
| A ball joint dust cover missing, insecure or excessively damaged or deteriorated to the extent that it would no longer prevent the ingress of dirt etc. | 2 | 3.2% |
| Excessive radial movement (play) at the top of the steering column between the column and the shaft indicating a badly worn top bearing (see note) | 2 | 3.2% |
| A stop lamp inoperative or less than 50% of the light sources illuminating | 2 | 3.2% |
| A rigid brake pipe excessively chafed, corroded or damaged | 2 | 3.2% |
| One tyre is of a different nominal size or aspect ratio to any other on the same axle. | 2 | 3.2% |
Counted across every recorded test, 2005 to 2025. Advisories are excluded.
Where the Imp 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 |
|---|---|---|
| PA | 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 DEFINITIONSUNBEAM IMP
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.