How many DeSoto Diplomats are left in New Zealand?
Rare 1 in 91,664 on the road Built 1951-1962 Sold new in New Zealand
Updated from the NZTA Motor Vehicle Register, counted as at 31 August 2026. Recounted every month.
An export DeSoto. From the late 1940s to the early 1960s Chrysler sold Plymouth-based cars with DeSoto grilles and badges as the Diplomat in markets outside North America, so that DeSoto dealers abroad had a smaller, cheaper car to sell. Underneath it was a Plymouth: a simple six or, later, a V8.
Still on the road, by model year
The most are from 1952: 14 still registered. Every year is listed under the chart.
Every model year
| Model year | Still registered |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 1 |
| 1952 | 14 |
| 1954 | 6 |
| 1955 | 5 |
| 1956 | 2 |
| 1957 | 3 |
| 1958 | 3 |
| 1959 | 2 |
| 1960 | 5 |
| 1961 | 8 |
| 1962 | 2 |
What Rare means
Spotto grades every car by how many are still registered in New Zealand. With 51 still registered, the DeSoto Diplomat is Rare: the grade for cars with 25 to 174 left.
By how many are left it ranks 1st of the 11 DeSoto models and equal 1,306th of all 2,903 cars in Spotto's catalogue.
The six grades: Common, 8,000 or more · Uncommon, 1,200 to 7,999 · Scarce, 175 to 1,199 · Rare, 25 to 174 · Super rare, 5 to 24 · Unicorn, fewer than 5.
Seen one?
Spotto grades every car on New Zealand roads by how many are still registered, down to the generation and the badge. Log the ones you spot, build a collection, and see who else has found one.