How many Mercedes-Benz 280E are left in New Zealand?
Rare 1 in 65,843 on the road Built 1972-1998 Sold new in New Zealand
Updated from the NZTA Motor Vehicle Register, counted as at 31 August 2026. Recounted every month.
This was the fast one in the mid-size Mercedes range of the 1970s and early 1980s. The 280E put the twin-cam, fuel-injected 2.8-litre six into the Stroke Eight saloon from 1972 and then into the W123, giving a plain-looking four-door real pace. A 280E won the 1977 London to Sydney Marathon.
Still on the road, by model year
The most are from 1993: 13 still registered. Every year is listed under the chart.
Every model year
| Model year | Still registered |
|---|---|
| 1972 | 4 |
| 1973 | 9 |
| 1974 | 10 |
| 1975 | 4 |
| 1976 | 1 |
| 1977 | 5 |
| 1978 | 5 |
| 1979 | 4 |
| 1980 | 3 |
| 1982 | 5 |
| 1983 | 5 |
| 1984 | 1 |
| 1993 | 13 |
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 |
What Rare means
Spotto grades every car by how many are still registered in New Zealand. With 71 still registered, the Mercedes-Benz 280E is Rare: the grade for cars with 25 to 174 left.
By how many are left it ranks 50th of the 102 Mercedes-Benz models and equal 1,173rd 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.