The VIN character '7', when it appears as the first digit of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), indicates a vehicle manufactured in New Zealand or the United States. This character is part of the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) section of the VIN.
Understanding the VIN and WMI
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a unique 17-character code used to identify individual vehicles. It provides crucial information about a car, including its manufacturer, country of origin, type, and specific features. The first three characters of a VIN constitute the World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI).
World Manufacturer Identifier (WMI) First Digit Breakdown
The very first character of the VIN (and thus the WMI) signifies the geographic region of the manufacturer. While many regions have a unique single digit, some digits can encompass manufacturers from multiple countries, as is the case with '7'.
Here's a breakdown of some of the first WMI digits and their corresponding countries or regions:
| WMI First Digit | Country/Region |
|---|---|
| 5 | United States |
| 6 | Australia |
| 7 | New Zealand, United States |
| 8 | Argentina, South America |
As the table clearly shows, the digit '7' is allocated to manufacturers in both New Zealand and the United States. To pinpoint the exact manufacturer and country, the subsequent two characters of the WMI (the second and third digits of the VIN) are also necessary. These characters, combined with the first, form a unique three-character code that identifies the specific manufacturer globally.
