Published in the June 2021 issue of “Porsche Kassette”

Ⓒ2021 Technolab / PedrosGarage.com

For more information on gauges and more, please visit my website:  

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Happy Porsche'ing,

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.

This is my car’s vin, as viewed through the OEM, highly pitted 300,000 mile 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.

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:

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 Cab/ 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)

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 North American vehicles, 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),

98 - Boxster (code 987) (2004 ... 2011)

98 - Boxster (code 981) (2012 ... 2016)

98 – 718 Boxster (code 982) (2016 ... )

98 - Cayman (code 987) (2005 ... 2012)

98 - Cayman (code 981) (2012 ... 2016)

99 - 911/911 Turbo (code 993) (1994 ... 1998)

99 - 911 / 911 Turbo (code 996) (1998 ... 2005)

99 - 911/911 Turbo (code 997) (2004 ... 2012)

99 - 911/911 Turbo (code 991) (2011 ...)

99 - Carrera GT (Code 980) (2003 ... 2007)

For the Porsche crossover platform, it’s different

9P - Cayenne I (9PA / 955) (2002 ... 2007)

9P - Cayenne I (9PA / 957) (2007 ... 2010)

92 - Cayenne II (92A / 958) (2010 ...)

95 - Macan (95B) (2014 ...)

For the North American Market

A1 - 918 Spyder (918)

A2 - Cayenne II of (92A / 958)

A5 - Macan (95B)

A7 - Panamera (970),

A8 - Boxster / Cayman (987, 981)

A9 - 911 (997, 991)

Position 9  for Porsche vehicles made for the European market, position is a “Z”.

For the North American market it is a value that checks whether the VIN that has been entered is a valid.

Position 10 – Model Year


A - 2010                           I  - NOT USED                Q - NOT USED               1 - 2001

B - 1981 and 2011           J - 1988 and 2018           R - 1994 and 2024          2 - 2002

C - 1982 and 2012           K - 1989 and 2019          S - 1995 and 2025          3 - 2003

D - 1983 and 2013           L - 1990 and 2020          T - 1996 and 2026           4 - 2004

E - 1984 and 2014           M - 1991 and 2021         U - NOT USED                5 - 2005

F - 1985 and 2015           N - 1992 and 2022          V - 1997 and 2027          6 - 2006

G - 1986 and 2016          O - NOT USED               W - 1998 and 2028          7 - 2007

H - 1987 and 2017           P - 1993 and 2023          X - 1999 and 2029          8 - 2008

                                                                                Y - 2000                          9 - 2009


Position 11 – Assembly Plant  This position is used to identify the assembly plant of the vehicle:     

           •K - (Boxster, Cayman) Osnabruck, Germany     •L - (Cayenne, Panamera, Macan) Leipzig, Germany     •N - (924, 944, 928, 911G, 911)  Nekkarzyulm, Germany     •S - (Boxster, Cayman, 911) Stuttgart Zuffenhausen, Germany     •U - (Boxster, Cayman) Uusikaupunki, Finland     


Position 12 represents the third factory code mark pattern.

             The other two are represented by positions 7 and 8.


Position 13 -17 – Serial Number 

      These positions represent the serial number of the vehicle. This series of numbers is used to identify the exact vehicle in question. The set of numbers are not standardized and their choice depends on the manufacturer’s preference.


       With a car’s VIN, you can obtain specific information about the vehicle, such as the manufacturing build sheet, historic service and repair reports, CarFax, specific manufacturer recalls and updated information, etc.  The VIN is really your car’s DNA code.