Adelaide BMW with COVID19 number plate gains worldwide attention

A BMW with a coronavirus-inspired number plate has been causing confusion in Adelaide after it was left at the airport months ago.

It sure is one way to remember the coronavirus pandemic.

A BMW has caught worldwide attention with its COVID19 number plate after being left at an airport for months.

Adelaide Airport staff were puzzled why the 5 Series sedan had been sitting in the carpark since as far back as February.

But it seems the mystery has now been solved, with a spokeperson for the airport saying the owner had been contacted after the car made headlines yesterday.

The owner is interstate.

Airport worker Steven Spry said the car had been left there since before lockdowns started.

The car had a cover over it which was blown off in April, revealing its unique number plate.

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Dan Parfitt shared a video of the BMW with a COVID19 number plate he took in March.

“You’d think a family member would have gone to get it,” Mr Spry told the ABC.

After sharing pictures of the car, Mr Spry said he had been gettings calls from around the world.

Another Adelaide man also came forward with photos after seeing Mr Spry’s, sharing a Snapchat video he took of the car in late March.

“It obviously stood out straight away … I took a Snapchat video of it and never thought of it again,” Dan Parfitt also told the ABC.

“It was pretty early in the proceedings before it really kicked off here.”

This Volvo in NSW also has a coronavirus-inspired plate. Picture: @Davisgee_

Another car with a virus number plate in South Australia. Picture: Brown Cardigan

Coronavirus was declared as a pandemic in March and officially labelled COVID-19 on February 11.

In Queensland such a number plate would not be allowed.

“Due to the significant health and economic impacts of COVID-19, this combination would not be available for sale as a number plate in Queensland,” a spokesperson for the transport department said.

But in South Australian the transport department said words could be used that are openly said in the community, even if they are in poor taste, cheeky or attention-seeking.

Photos of other cars with number plates including COVID, Wuhan and virus have also circulated on social media in recent months.

Brooke Hayton shared this photo on Instagram.