Free McLaren P1 VIN Decoder

How to decode a McLaren P1 VIN

Characters 1-3 of a McLaren P1 VIN

The World Manufacturer Identifier, commonly referred to as the WMI, is the initial sequence of three characters in a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) that uniquely identifies the manufacturer of a vehicle. For the McLaren P1, a supercar known for its cutting-edge design and performance, the WMI is SBM, signifying that the vehicle was produced by McLaren Automotive Limited in England. The presence of these letters at the beginning of the P1’s VIN confirms its prestigious McLaren origin. The WMI not only serves as a mark of authenticity but also provides essential information for vehicle tracking, registration, and recall purposes. It is the key to unlocking the global identity of a car, indicating who made it and sometimes even in which country or specific factory it was assembled.

List of WMI Codes for a McLaren P1

WMI: SBM

• Model Years Covered: 2012-2015
• Example VIN: SBM12ABB3CW990010
• Manufacturer Name: McLaren Automotive Limited
• Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
• City: Woodcliff Lake
• State or Province: Surrey
• Country: England

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a McLaren P1 VIN

These characters correspond to components like:

• Engine type
• Transmission
• Model or trim
• Body style
• Gross vehicle weight range

Below find the known vehicle descriptor codes for a McLaren P1:

Auto manufacturers have some discretion to decide how they want to code this section, but its contents and decoded results are generally consistent.

Character 9 is the “check digit” in a McLaren P1 VIN.

Based on a formula developed by the US Department of Transportation, it helps reduce fraud by ensuring the validity of the VIN.

10th Character in the McLaren P1 VIN — Year Code

11th Character in the McLaren P1 VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known McLaren P1 Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a McLaren P1

The final 6 characters in a McLaren P1’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

What info can a McLaren P1 VIN reveal?

• Destination Market: The VIN may provide insights into the market for which the vehicle was intended, potentially including the United States, offering a glimpse into the vehicle’s intended audience.
• Plant City: The VIN could possibly indicate the city where the vehicle was manufactured, such as Working for McLaren Automotive Limited, providing a potential location of the vehicle’s production.
• Vehicle Type: The VIN might offer information about the type of vehicle, potentially indicating Passenger Car in the case of the McLaren P1, giving an indication of the vehicle’s primary use.
• Steering Location: The VIN can possibly indicate whether the vehicle is left-hand drive or right-hand drive, offering insights into its steering configuration.
• Transmission Style: The VIN could potentially reveal the type of transmission used in the vehicle, such as Dual-Clutch Transmission (DCT) for the McLaren P1, providing insights into its driving dynamics.

Sample VIN Decode Report for a McLaren P1