How to decode a 2016 BMW i8 VIN

Characters 1-3 of a 2016 BMW i8 VIN

A World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) is an essential component of a vehicle’s unique Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), consisting of the first three characters in the VIN. These symbols represent specific information, including the vehicle’s manufacturer, its type, and the country of origin. For instance, BMW AG uses the WMI “WBY” for its BMW i8 models produced in the years including 2016. This WMI indicates that the vehicles are manufactured in Germany, specifically in Munich, and are classified as passenger cars. Understanding a WMI is crucial in identifying key details about a vehicle’s make, model, and place of manufacture.

List of WMI Codes for a 2016 BMW i8

WMI: WBY

Model Years Covered: 2014-2017, 2019-2020
Example VIN: WBY2Z2C50GV674694
Manufacturer Name: BMW AG
Vehicle Type: Passenger Car
City: Munich
State or Province:
Country: Germany

Characters 4-8 are the Vehicle Descriptor Section (VDS) of a 2016 BMW i8 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 2016 BMW i8:

Known VDS for a 2016 BMW i8
2Z2C5

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 2016 BMW i8 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 2016 BMW i8 VIN — Year Code

Year Code	Year
G	2016

11th Character in the 2016 BMW i8 VIN — Plant Code(s)

Known 2016 BMW i8 Assembly Factory VIN Code(s)

Plant Code	Plant City	Plant State	Plant Country	Plant Company Name	Example VIN
V	Leipzig		Germany		WBY2Z2C50GV674694

VIN Characters 12 - 17 of a 2016 BMW i8

The final 6 characters in a 2016 BMW i8’s 17-digit VIN are its serial number, which will be unique to every vehicle.

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How to find a 2016 BMW i8’s VIN?

Locating the VIN number on your 2016 BMW i8 is key for identification. Here’s how to find it:

Look at the lower-right corner of the dashboard on the driver’s side of your 2016 BMW i8. The VIN can be seen by looking through the windshield.
Open the driver’s side door and examine the door jamb area. The 2016 BMW i8 will often have a VIN sticker in this location.
Check the front of the car frame, near the container that holds windshield washer fluid. The VIN might be stamped onto the frame of the BMW i8.
Raise the hood of your BMW i8 and look at the front engine block. The VIN is sometimes stamped onto the engine itself.

What info can a 2016 BMW i8 VIN reveal?

Model Year and Make: The VIN can provide information about the vehicle’s model year, such as the year 2016, and the make, as demonstrated with the BMW i8.
Body Class and Doors: The VIN can reveal the body class, such as Coupe, with 2 doors, providing detailed insights into the vehicle’s design and structure.
Engine and Performance: It can offer insights into engine details, such as a 1.5-liter capacity with 3 cylinders, and the engine’s horsepower, likely 362 hp in this example, contributing to the vehicle’s performance.
Hybrid Electric Vehicle Status: The VIN may indicate if the vehicle is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and its electrification level, although the precise level might remain unspecified.
Fuel Types: The VIN specifies both primary and secondary fuel types, revealing that this vehicle uses Gasoline and Electric power sources, offering insights into the vehicle’s fuel efficiency and environmental impact.
Safety Features: It can provide locations for airbags, including curtain, front, knee, and side airbags across various rows, and other safety technologies like the tire pressure monitoring system type, providing insights into the vehicle’s safety features.
Manufacturing Details: Information on the manufacturing, such as the plant city, Leipzig, and country, Germany, can be found through the VIN, offering insights into the vehicle’s production origins.

Don’t have your 2016 BMW i8’s VIN handy? Try our license plate lookup instead!

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Sample VIN Decode Report for a 2016 BMW i8

Vehicle Spec	Value
Body Class	Coupe
Curtain Air Bag Locations	1st and 2nd Rows
Displacement (CC)	1500.0
Displacement (CI)	91.5
Displacement (L)	1.5
Doors	2
Electrification Level	HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) - Level Unknown
Engine Brake (hp) From	362
Engine Number of Cylinders	3
Front Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Fuel Type - Primary	Gasoline
Fuel Type - Secondary	Electric
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating From	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating To	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)
Knee Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Model	i8
Model Year	2016
Other Restraint System Info	Pretensioners for Driver and Front Passenger.
Plant City	Leipzig
Plant Company Name
Plant Country	Germany
Pretensioner	Yes
Seat Belt Type	Manual
Side Air Bag Locations	1st Row (Driver and Passenger)
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) Type	Direct
Vehicle Descriptor	WBY2Z2C5*GV
Vehicle Type	Passenger Car
Sample_VIN	WBY2Z2C50GV674694