8 Series Coupe

Make
BMW
Segment
Coupe

If you just ordered a high-dollar German luxury car like a 2020 BMW 8 Series Coupe, opting for European delivery was one of the coolest options you could select on it. Basically, this option would allow you to fly to the BMW Welt in Germany to have your car delivered and you could drive it around Europe for a bit before shipping it to the United States. European delivery allowed customers to get a new car and a vacation all in one trip but sadly, BMW will no longer offer this amazing package.

A BMW spokesperson told CarBuzz, "After carefully evaluating the changing BMW US customer preferences towards US-built X vehicles and the declining interest in the European Delivery Program, BMW has made the decision to bring the US market European Delivery Program to a close in the Fall of 2020."

Well, there you have it. Blame the coronavirus and rising SUV sales.

BMW says it will stop taking pre-reservation forms for European delivery after May 18, 2020, with September 2020 acting as the last month customers can take delivery. Any customer who currently has a European delivery scheduled between now and September 30 will be sent an email confirming their delivery date.

After the May 18 deadline, BMW's European Delivery program website will display the following message to customers: "Thank you for visiting the BMW European Delivery page. Unfortunately, orders are no longer being accepted for the European Delivery program as of May 18th. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we ask that you contact your local authorized BMW Center to purchase or lease your next BMW."

BMW also mentions that European delivery cars are not permitted to visit the racetrack but as a small consolation prize, the company will still offer a US-based track experience on M cars. If a customer is purchasing an M vehicle, BMW recommends adding Option Code 7ME, the M Drivers Package. This allows customers to experience a one-day M School at the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina, or Thermal Club in Thermal, California.

"While fewer customers have been taking advantage of driving their new BMW's in Europe prior to having their cars shipped to the US, we have seen a marked increase in interest in the BMW Ultimate Delivery Experience at our Greenville-Spartanburg facility, which is available for any production BMW vehicle, not just for those built in South Carolina," the spokesperson added.

"The BMW Ultimate Delivery Experience includes classroom and on-track car control instruction at the BMW Performance Center, a tour of Plant Spartanburg, a visit to the BMW Zentrum Museum, and finally, a personalized vehicle handover of your new BMW followed by a drive home from the scenic Carolinas."