How many Ford Bantams are left in New Zealand?
Unicorn 1 in 4,674,872 on the road Built 1996 American
Updated from the NZTA Motor Vehicle Register, counted as at 31 August 2026. Recounted every month.
A small car-based ute built by Ford in South Africa, where such things are called bakkies. It began in the 1980s on the Escort, was based on the Mazda 323 through the 1990s and finished as a Fiesta-based pickup. It was never part of Ford's range in most other countries.
Still on the road, by model year
1 from 1996.
What Unicorn means
Spotto grades every car by how many are still registered in New Zealand. With 1 still registered, the Ford Bantam is Unicorn: the grade for cars with fewer than 5 left.
By how many are left it ranks equal 119th of the 126 Ford models and equal 2,668th 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.