The ISO standard vehicle identification number (VIN) was introduced for the Porsche model year 1981.
VINs consist of 17 characters and for Porsche can be decoded as follows:-
Position | Explanation | North America notes |
---|---|---|
1 | W = German based manufacturer. | |
2 | P = Porsche. | |
3 | 0 (zero) = Passenger car (applies to all except Cayenne and Macan) or 1 = SUV (applies to Cayenne and Macan). | |
4 | for RoW = Z (filler) | chassis. [1] |
5 | for RoW = Z (filler) | engine(0 = none, 2 = at least 2). |
6 | for RoW = Z (filler) | restraint system. |
7 | First character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). | |
8 | Second character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). | |
9 | For RoW = 0-9,X,Z (filler) | Calculated checkdigit. |
10 | Year code. | |
11 | Factory code. | |
12 | Third character of model type (read positions 7,8 and 12 together). | |
13 | Body configuration code or leading digit of serial number. | |
14 | First digit of serial number. | |
15 | Second digit of serial number. | |
16 | Third digit of serial number. | |
17 | Fourth digit of serial number. |
VIN has been implemented differently in two regions, they consist of the following countries:-
USA etc. = USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Switzerland.
RoW = Rest of world. (i.e. everywhere except USA, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Switzerland.)
Vehicle Specification for "USA etc" is a 3 character code giving details of the body type, engine, seatbelts and airbags fitted.
(More info needed.)
On 2010+ North America market vehicles, the first digit will be 'A' instead of '9'
More properly described as 'Model year'. While the code may indicate a particular year it may well be the 'model year' which could be the subsequent year, for instance a 1994 registered vehicle may well be a model year 1995 on the VIN/chassis number.
Code | Year | --- | Code | Year | --- | Code | Year | --- | Code | Year | --- | Code | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
L | 1990 | Y | 2000 | A | 2010 | L | 2020 | ||||||
B | 1981 | M | 1991 | 1 | 2001 | B | 2011 | M | 2021 | ||||
C | 1982 | N | 1992 | 2 | 2002 | C | 2012 | N | 2022 | ||||
D | 1983 | P | 1993 | 3 | 2003 | D | 2013 | P | 2023 | ||||
E | 1984 | R | 1994 | 4 | 2004 | E | 2014 | R | 2024 | ||||
F | 1985 | S | 1995 | 5 | 2005 | F | 2015 | S | 2025 | ||||
G | 1986 | T | 1996 | 6 | 2006 | G | 2016 | T | 2026 | ||||
H | 1987 | V | 1997 | 7 | 2007 | H | 2017 | V | 2027 | ||||
J | 1988 | W | 1998 | 8 | 2008 | J | 2018 | W | 2028 | ||||
K | 1989 | X | 1999 | 9 | 2009 | K | 2019 | X | 2029 |
Code | Factory | Notes | Models produced |
---|---|---|---|
S | (Stuttgart) Zuffenhausen - Germany | Includes occasional production from Weissach. | All 911s. Minority of 986 Boxsters, 987 Boxster/Cayman and 981 Boxster. 549 of the 1991 944s, [2] as well as all 924 Carrera GTS/GTR. [3] Majority of 968s. All Taycans. |
N | Neckarsulm - Germany. | Audi factory | Majority of 924 and 944s. Minority of 1992 968s. |
L | Leipzig - Germany. | All Cayenne, Panamera and Carrera GT. | |
U | Uusikaupunki - Finland. | Valmet Automotive factory. | Majority of 986 Boxsters and 987 Boxster/Cayman. |
K | Osnabrück - Germany. | VW factory, ex-Karmann, hence the "K" | All 981 Caymans. Majority of 981 Boxsters. |
D | Bratislava - Slovakia. | VW factory | Cayennes |
A leading "0" usually means standard coupé, for the RoW markets. For the 944 and 968, US cars are usually identified by a leading "5". 944 convertibles have a leading "3" (RoW) or "8" (US). Sometimes this model code extends into the 14th digit, such as for the 968 CS which had chassis numbers beginning with "15". [4]
WP0ZZZ94ZFN40**** a 944.
WP0ZZZ98Z7U770439**** a Cayman
WP0ZZZ92ZGN40**** a 924S.
WP1ZZZ9PZ8LA7**** a Cayenne.
WP0ZZZ96ZRS81**** a 968.
WP0ZZZ99Z5S73**** a 911.
WP0ZZZ97ZAL08**** a Panamera.
WP0ZZZ98Z4L00**** a Carrera GT.
WP0ZZZ98Z8U72**** a Boxster S.
WP0ZZZ99Z5S76**** a 911 C2S Convertible.
WP0ZZZ99Z2S64**** a 911 C4 convertible.
WP1AF2A51FLB9**** a Macan Turbo
WPOZZZ95ZJS90**** a 959
WP1ZZZ9YZLDA3**** a Cayenne E-hybrid
WP0ZZZ99ZKS12**** a Targa 4 GTS
WP0AA2Y18NSA1**** a 2022 Taycan sedan, RWD, for North America
The Porsche 928 is a grand touring car with a 2+2 seating layout manufactured by Porsche AG of Germany from 1978 to 1995. Initially conceived to address changes in the automotive market, it represented Porsche's first fully in-house design for a production vehicle and was intended to potentially replace the Porsche 911 as the company's flagship model. The 928 aimed to blend the performance and handling characteristics of a sports car with the comfort, spaciousness, and ride quality of a luxury car. Porsche executives believed that the 928 would have broader appeal compared to the compact, somewhat outdated, and slow-selling air-cooled 911. Notably, it was Porsche's inaugural production model powered by a V8 engine located at the front, and it achieved remarkable top speeds, earning recognition upon its 1978 release by winning the European Car of the Year award. The Autocar described it as a "super car" in 1980.
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, usually shortened to Porsche, is a German automobile manufacturer specializing in luxury, high-performance sports cars, SUVs and sedans, headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The company is owned by Volkswagen AG, a controlling stake of which is owned by Porsche Automobil Holding SE. Porsche's current lineup includes the 718, 911, Panamera, Macan, Cayenne and Taycan.
The Porsche 924 is a sports car produced by Porsche in Neckarsulm, Germany, from 1976 until 1988. A two-door, 2+2 coupé, the 924 replaced the 912E and 914 as the company's entry-level model.
The Porsche 944 is a sports car manufactured by German automobile manufacturer Porsche from 1982 until 1991. A front-engine, rear-wheel drive mid-level model based on the 924 platform, the 944 was available in coupé or cabriolet body styles, with either naturally aspirated or turbocharged engines. With over 163,000 cars produced, the 944 was the most successful sports car in Porsche's history until the introductions of the Boxster and 997 Carrera.
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The Porsche Cayenne is a series of automobiles manufactured by the German company Porsche since 2002. It is a luxury crossover SUV, and has been described as both a full-sized and a mid-sized vehicle. The first generation was known within Porsche as the Type 9PA (955/957) or E1. It was the first V8-engined vehicle built by Porsche since 1995, when the Porsche 928 was discontinued. It is also Porsche's first off-road variant vehicle since its Super and Junior tractors of the 1950s, as well as the first production Porsche with four doors. Since 2014, the Cayenne has been sold alongside a smaller Porsche SUV, the Macan.
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The Porsche Panamera is a mid to full-sized luxury car manufactured and marketed by German automobile manufacturer Porsche. It currently spans across three generations, using a front-engine, rear or all-wheel drive configuration.
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Middle East Motor Awards (MEMA) is an auto award in the Middle East, with a ‘Car of the Year' honor as well as individual category winners. The awards are given to newly released or redesigned vehicles released to the regional car market, annually since 2010. The awards are judged by a panel of distinguished and expert automotive journalists.
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The Porsche 981 is the internal designation given to the third-generation Boxster/Cayman models built by German automobile manufacturer Porsche. It was announced on 13 March 2012 at the Geneva Auto Show with sales starting early summer 2012.
The Porsche Boxster and Cayman are mid-engine two-seater sports cars manufactured and marketed by German automobile manufacturer Porsche across four generations—as a two-door, two-seater roadster (Boxster) and a three-door, two-seater fastback coupé (Cayman).
The Porsche Taycan is a battery electric luxury sports sedan and shooting brake car produced by German automobile manufacturer Porsche. The concept version of the Taycan named the Porsche Mission E, debuted at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Four years later, the production Taycan was revealed at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. As Porsche's first series production electric car, it is sold in several variants at different performance levels, and may spawn further derivatives in future models. It is built on the J1 electric car platform shared with the similarly shaped Audi e-tron GT.
The Porsche 982 is the internal designation of the fourth generation Boxster/Cayman made by German automobile manufacturer Porsche. With the switch to a new turbocharged flat-four engine the marketing name for the models was changed to Porsche 718, in reference to the 718, which won the Targa Florio race in 1959 and 1960. The name is meant to evoke Porsche's past racing successes with light cars like the 718 that outmanoeuvred competitors with larger and more powerful engines.
This is a list of automobiles produced for the general public in the European market. They are listed in chronological order from when each model began its model year. If a model did not have continuous production, it is listed again on the model year production resumed. Concept cars and submodels are not listed unless they are themselves notable.
Porsche has made a number of V8 gasoline engines over the last 40 years; ever since their first V8 engine debuted in the Porsche 928, in 1977.
Most of the information summarised here was first published in articles by Chris Horton in the December 2010 and January 2011 editions of Porsche Post (Magazine of the Porsche Club Great Britain), additional information was first posted on 968uk.com in November 2004.