How many pagodes are registered?

[gwuisman]

In several posts this subject is discussed. By guess the number of Pagodes is estimated. I would like to have  more pricise information so I started to ask the authorities by e-mail for facts. Where necessary I will use the legislation on acess to information. The Dutch car regeister authority denied my request in first instance. I repeated my request giving some explenation on the Dutch law.
From Belgium I got the information within 3 days (see below). The German Federal Government gave me a adress of an organisation who will provide the data. I will inform the group on the result I get.

Gerard Wuisman
280sl 1970

Belgium 2003 registered MBsl

1963   230sl       3
1964   230sl      32
1965   230sl      45
1966   230sl      41
1966   250sl       1
1967   230sl      24
1967   250sl      31
1967   280sl(*)         2
1968   230sl        1
1968   280sl(*)   32
1969   250sl       2
1969   280sl      73
1970   280sl      47
1971   280sl (?*)   20 (**)
Total between      334 - 354
(*) called ‘serie sl’
(**)called ‘serie sl’, number of pagoda’s not specified

[Cees Klumper]

One problem may be that cars that are imported later typically carry a later "registration year" and for that reason may not be listed in the statistics provided by authorities. For example, I understand that the number of Pagoda's now in Sweden far exceeds the number originally sold there, but most don't show in the official stats because they were imported later. It would be interesting to know how many Pagoda's were imported from the US 'back' to Europe during the past decades - a trend that is continuing today. Also, many cars were apparently exported TO the US after having originally been sold in Europe (or elsewhere).

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

[Douglas]

I'd also assume these numbers aren't firm since cars are no doubt trading hands within Europe and, to some degree, globally. If I'm not mistaken, there are a couple of pretty aggressive dealers who specialize in Pagodas in the Netherlands. They were actively buying Pagodas over here (along with 356 Porsches, XKEs, etc.) and perhaps still are.

In any event, it's interesting to hear these numbers. I believe more Pagodas were manufactured in 1969 than in any other year and, as luck would have it, your figures reflect that in Dutch ownership. Perhaps it's just a coincidence, but it's a nice one.

You simply can't get figures like these from the US authorities. I know people who have tried.

Douglas Kim
New York, NY
280 SL #018260

[gwuisman]

Indeed, because of trade movements, non actual figures provided and non registered cars under restauration one will never get accurate numbers on a certan date. On the other hand I hope that the data gathered in the next few months will give a good idea about the spread of our cars over the world.

Gerard Wuisman

[gwuisman]

Indeed, because of trade movements, non actual figures provided and non registered cars under restauration one will never get accurate numbers on a certan date. On the other hand I hope that the data gathered in the next few months will give a good idea about the spread of our cars over the world.

Gerard Wuisman