Tech Corner

Article by Pedro P. Bonilla, Tech Editor

The Vehicle Identification Number is a unique digital identification for motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters and mopeds.

As we know it today, the VIN is a 17- character identifier which does not include the letters O (o), I (i) or Q (q) to avoid confusion with the numerals 0, 1 and 9.

It is generally printed or embossed on a small metal plate on the driver’s side of the dashboard, visible when looking through the windshield from the outside. Starting from the left:

Character 1: Country of manufacture

Characters 2 and 3: Manufacturing company

Characters 4 -8: Type and size of engine

Character 9: Manufacturer’s security code

Character 10: Model year

Character 11: Manufacturing plant

Characters 12 – 17: Vehicle’s serial number

Following you can see the two standards (EU and USA) for comparison:

Standard 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

ISO 3779

World manufacturer identifier Vehicle descriptor section Vehicle identifier section

European Union[7]

more than 500 vehicles/year

European Union[7]

500 or fewer vehicles/year

North America

more than 2,000 vehicles/year

North America

2,000 or fewer vehicles/year

World manufacturer identifier

Indication of "the general characteristics of the vehicle"

World manufact urer identifier 9 Indication of "the general characteristics of the vehicle"

World manufacturer identifier Vehicle attributes Check digit

World manufact urer identifier 9 Vehicle attributes Check digit Indication that provides "clear identification of a particular vehicle"

Indication that provides "clear identification of a particular vehicle"

Model year Plant code Sequential number

Model year Plant code Manufacturer identifier

INSERT: VIN.jpg HERE

This is my car’s VIN behind the very pitted 300,000 mile OEM windshield.

The first official VIN appeared in 1954. At that time, the US government requested that automobile manufacturers and the Automobile Manufacturer’s Association develop a new standardized identifying numbering system, which was called the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Up to that time vehicles had been registered according to their engine’s number, but it quickly became apparent that a new system was required because of the common practice of engine replacement.

The standardization of the modern VIN started in 1981 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The standard was changed several times since then and now, modern VINs are based on two related standards, originally issued by the International Standardization Organization (ISO) in 1979 (ISO 3779) in 1980 (ISO 3780). Compatible but different implementation of these ISO Standards have been adopted by the United States and the European Union.

The VIN is not just a random string of alphanumeric characters. Each digit or group of digits refers to something specific about the vehicle’s manufacturing or design. For our particular (Porsche) cars:

Position 1 identifies the country where the vehicle was assembled: W – Germany (originally West Germany)

Position 2 indicates the manufacturer of the vehicle: P – Porsche

Position 3 identifies the exact brand division even in cases where the manufacturer has more than one division.

Position 4, 5, 6 for Porsche vehicles made for the European and RoW markets, these positions are filled with a “Z” that does not represent anything other than non-North American. For vehicles made for the North American market, Position 4 of the Porsche VIN identifies the model line of the vehicle.

A - 911 Carrera Coupe / 911 Carrera 4 Coupe / 911 Carrera 4S Coupe A - 911 Turbo Coupe / 911 GT2 A - 911 Turbo 4WD (997) Coupe A – 924 Coupe A - 928 S-4 Coupe (for 1990) A – 928 Coupe (for 1991) A - 944 Coupe A - Cayenne A - Carrera GT (990) A - Cayman A - Panamera (970) A - Macan

B - 944 Cabriolet B - 911 Carrera Targa (964) B - 911 Carrera Targa (996) B - 911 Carrera 4 Targa (4WD) (997) B - 911 Carrera Targa 4 (2WD) (997) B - 911 Carrera Targa 4S (4WD) (997) C - 911 Carrera Cabriolet / 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet C - 944 S-2 Cabriolet C - Boxster C - 911 Carrera Turbo Cabriolet (997) C - 918 Spyder D - 911 Carrera Targa (991) Coupe E - 911G Carrera Cabriolet E - 911G Carrera Turbo Cabriolet E - 911G Carrera Targa J - 911G Carrera Turbo J – 928

Position 5 identifies the engine type. 924 A - L4, 2.5L 147HP (924 S) 944 A - L4, 2.5L 143HP A - L4, 2.5L 147HP A - L4, 2.5L 188HP (944 S) A - L4, 2.5L 217HP (944 Turbo) A - L4, 2.5L 247HP (944 Turbo (for 1989)) a - L4, 2.7L 162HP (944 (for 1989)) B - L4, 3.0L 208HP (944 S (for1989)) C - L4, 2.5L 247HP (944 Turbo (for 1990)) 928 A - V8, 5.0L 326HP (for 1991) B - V8, 5.0L 288HP B - V8, 5.0L 316HP (928 S-4) B - V8, 5.0L 326HP (928 GT (for 1990)) 911G B - B6, 3.2L 200HP, engine 930 / (20 | 21) B - B6, 3.2L 214HP, engine 930/26 911G Turbo (930) B - B6, 3.3L 275HP engine 930/66 B - B6, 3.3L 282HP engine 930/68 911 (964)

A - B6, 3.3L 315HP (911 Turbo (for 1991)) A - B6, 3.6L 270hp (Carrera (for 1991)) Bed and - B6, 3.6L 247HP (911 Carrera) 911 (993)

A - B6, 3.4L 300HP (Carrera) 911 (996) A - B6, 3.6L 320hp (Carrera / Targa (for 2002)) A - B6, 3.6L 345HP (Carrera S / Targa (for 2003)) Bed and - B6, 3.6L 415HP (911 Turbo 4WD (for 2002)) Bed and - B6, 3.6L 415HP (911 Turbo Cabriolet 4WD (for 2004)) Bed and - B6, 3.6L 444HP (911 Turbo 4WD (for 2003)) Bed and - B6, 3.6L 444HP (911 Turbo Cabriolet 4WD (for 2004)) Bed and - B6, 3.6L 456HP (911 Turbo / 911 GT2 (2WD) (for 2002)) the C - B6, 3.6L 380HP (911 GT3) the C - B6, 3.6L 400HP (911 Turbo) 911 (997) A - B6, 3.6L 325HP (Carrera / Carrera Cabriolet / Carrera 4 Cabriolet / Carrera 4 Targa) A - B6, 3.6L 345HP (Carrera / Carrera 4 / Carrera 4 Targa) B - B6, 3.8L 355HP (Carrera S / Carrera 4S 4WD / Carrera S Cabriolet Technical / Carrera 4S Cabriolet Technical / Carrera 4S Targa) B - B6, 3.8L 385HP (Carrera S / Carrera 4S / Carrera 4S Targa (for 2009)) B - B6, 3.8L 408HP (Carrera GTS / Carrera GTS Cabriolet (for 2012)) C - B6, 3.6L 415HP (911 GT3 / 911 GT3 RS) C - B6, 3.8L 435HP (911 GT3 / 911 GT3 RS for 2010) D - B6, 3.6L 480HP (911 Turbo 4WD / 4WD 911 Turbo Cabriolet) D - B6, 3.6L 500HP (911 GT2 / Turbo 911 (for 2010)) D - B6, 3.8L 500HP (911 Turbo (4WD) / 911 Turbo Cabriolet with the 2012 model year) D - B6, 3.6L 530HP (911 GT2 (for 2012)) D - B6, 3.8L 530HP (S Turbo (4WD) / Turbo Cabriolet Technical / S (for 2012)) E - B6, 3.6L 620HP ( 911 GT2 / 911 GT2 RS (for 2011)) 911 (991) A - B6, 3.4L 350HP (Carrera / Carrera 4 / Carrera Cabriolet / Carrera 4 Cabriolet) A - B6, 3.6L 272HP (Carrera) A - B6, 3.6L 282HP (Carrera) A - B6, 3.8L 350HP (Targa 4) B - B6, 3.8L 400HP (Carrera S / Carrera 4S / Cabriolet Carrera S / Carrera 4S Cabriolet / Targa 4S) B - B6, 3.8L 430HP (Carrera GTS / Carrera 4S GTS / Carrera GTS Cabriolet / Carrera 4S GTS Cabriolet / Targa 4 GTS (for 2016))

C - B6, 3.8L 400HP (911 GT3) C - B6, 3.8L 475HP (911 GT3 (for 2014 model year)) D - B6, 3.8L 520HP (911 Turbo / 911 Cabriolet Turbo) D - B6, 3.8L 560HP (911 Turbo S / 911 the S Cabriolet Technical Turbo) F - B6, 4.0L 500HP (911 GT3 RS for 2016))

Boxster (986)

A - B6, 2.7L 217HP A - B6, 2.7L 225HP (for 2003) B - B6, 3.2L 250HP (Boxster S) B - B6, 3.2L 258HP (Boxster S (for 2003))

Boxster/ Cayman (987) A - B6, 2.7L 245HP A - B6, 2.9L 255HP (Boxster (for 2010)) A - B6, 2.9L 265hp (Cayman (for 2010)) B - B6, 3.4L 295HP (Boxster S / Cayman S) B - B6, 3.4L 310HP (Boxster S / Boxster Spyder (for 2010)) B - B6, 3.4L 320HP (Cayman S (for 2010)) B - B6, 3.4L 320HP (Boxster R (for 2012)) B - B6, 3.4L 330HP (Cayman R (for 2012))

Boxster/ Cayman (981) A - B6, 2.7L 265HP (Boxster)

A - B6, 2.7L 275HP (Cayman) B - B6, 3.4L 315HP (Boxster S) B - B6, 3.4L 325HP (Cayman S)

B - B6, 3.4L 330HP (Boxster GTS (for 2016)) B - B6, 3.4L 340HP (Cayman GTS (for 2016)) C - B6, 3.8L 375HP (Boxster Spyder (for 2016)) C - B6, 3.8L 385HP (Cayman GT4 (for 2015))

Carrera GT (980) B - V10, 5.7L 605HP

Cayenne (9PA / 955/957) A - V6, 3.6L 290HP A - V6, 3.6L 300HP (for 2012)) B - V8, 4.5L 340HP (Cayenne S) B - V8, 4.8L 385HP (Cayenne S (for 2009)) C - V8, 4.5L 450hp (Cayenne Turbo) C - V8, 4.8L 500HP (Cayenne Turbo (for 2009)) C - V8, 4.8L 550hp (Cayenne Turbo S (for 2009)) D - V8, 405HP 4.8L (Cayenne GTS) D - V8, 4.8L 405HP (Cayenne Trans-Syberia (for 2010))

Cayenne (92A / 958) A - V6, 3.6L 300HP B - V6, 3.0L 420HP (Cayenne S (for 2015)) B - V6, 3.6L 420HP (Cayenne S (for 2016)) B - V8, 4.8L 400HP (Cayenne S (for 2012)) C - V8, 4.8L 500HP (Cayenne Turbo (for 2012)) C - V8, 4.8L 520HP (Cayenne Turbo (for 2015)) C - V8, 4.8L 550hp (Cayenne Turbo S (for 2014)) C - V8, 4.8L 570HP (Cayenne Turbo S (for 2016)) D - V6, 3.6L 440HP (Cayenne GTS (for 2016)) D - V8, 4.8L 420HP + 52HP electric (Cayenne S Hybrid) E - V6, 3.0L 380HP + 52HP electric (Cayenne Hybrid S (for 2012)) F - V6, 3.0L 240HP Diesel (Cayenne Diesel) Panamera (970) A - V6, 3.6L 300HP (Panamera / Panamera 4) A - V6, 3.6L 310HP (Panamera / Panamera 4 (for 2014)) B - V6, 3.0L 420HP (Panamera S / 4S Panamera / Panamera 4S Executive ( for 2014)) B - V8, 4.8L 400HP (Panamera S / Panamera 4S) C - V8, 4.8L 500HP (Panamera Turbo) C - V8, 4.8L 520HP (Panamera Turbo / Panamera Turbo (for 2014 Executive) C - V8, 4.8L 550hp (Panamera Turbo S (for 2012)) C - V8, 4.8L 570hp (Panamera Turbo S (for 2015)) C - V8, 4.8L 570hp (Panamera Exclusive (for 2016)) D - V6, 3.0L 333HP + 95HP electric (Panamera S E-Hybrid (for 2014)) D - V8, 4.8L 400HP + 52HP electric (Panamera S Hybrid (for 2012)) F - V8, 4.8L 430HP (Panamera GTS (for 2014)) F - V8, 4.8L 440HP (Panamera GTS (for 2015))

918 Spyder (918) A - V8, 608HP + 4.6L electric 279HP

Macan (95B) B - V6, 3.0L 340HP (Macan S) F - V6, 3.6L 400HP (Macan Turbo)

Position 6 for vehicles made for North America, represents the passive safety systems

0 - Inertial seatbelts pre tensioners 2 - Inertial seatbelts

Position 7 – 8 represents the sports car lineup.

For the European Market 91 - 911G (code 911) (1974 ... 1989) 91 - 918 Spyder (code 918) (2013 ... ) 92 - 924 (code 924) (1976 ... 1988) 92 - 928 (code 928) (1977 ... 1995) 93 - 911G Turbo (code 930) (1977 ... 1989) 94 - 944 (code 944 ) (1982 ... 1991) 95 - 944 Turbo (code 951) (1985 ... 1991) 95 - 959 (code 959) (1986 ... 1988) 96 - 911/911 Turbo (code 964) (1989. ..1993) 96 - 968 (code 968) (1992 ... 1995) 97 - Panamera (code 970) (2009 ... 2016) 97 - Panamera (code 971) (2017 ...) 98 - Boxster (code 986) (1997 ... 2004),