- BMW Classic introduce new “Birth Certificate” for owners of vintage vehicles.
- The new document replaces the “Vehicle Certificate” and is now a fully digital document.
- The Birth Certificate gives owners information about chassis and engine numbers, production and delivery dates, as well as optional equipment.
Enthusiasts often refer to their cars as their babies and, while that may be hyperbolic, BMW is leaning into the metaphor, now offering a birth certificate for the owners of its historic vehicles.
The new piece of documentation is actually the latest development of a product that the automaker previously offered owners. The “Birth Certificate” now takes the place of the “Vehicle Certificate” that BMW Group Classic formerly sent out to owners.
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Now, the document has gone from being a physical piece of paper to a fully digital document. While some owners may be disappointed that they no longer have an original document to display at car shows or hang in their garage, BMW argues that this will make getting the certificate to buyers much easier, and will mean no more shipping issues.
The Birth Certificate will still bear a digital signature to avoid the possibility of manipulation. Despite that, the document is not a certificate of authenticity, and making that clear is part of what prompted BMW to change the document’s name. While the Birth Certificate cannot guarantee that a classic vehicle is the real deal, it is an official record of how and when that car left the factory.
The Birth Certificate contains the chassis and engine numbers, the production date, and the delivery date. On classic vehicles built in the 1980s or later, it also offers information about the optional equipment that fitted to the car, as well as its transmission number.
“This birth certificate will give you answers to all questions concerning the history of the vehicle in question, including individual items of data,” writes BMW. “So you can look forward to a modern, reliable documentation of your beloved classic BMW.”
To get a Birth Certificate, owners must fill out an order form, and pay a fee of €125 (US$133 at current exchange rates).