Volkswagen and Audi VIN Numbers: How to Decode VW Group VINs
Volkswagen Group uses WMI codes starting with WVW for VW and WAU for Audi. Here is how to decode any VW, Audi, Porsche, or SEAT VIN.
Volkswagen Group (VW AG) is one of the world's largest automotive conglomerates, encompassing Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, SEAT, Skoda, Bentley, and Lamborghini. Each brand maintains its own WMI codes, and most VW Group vehicles sold in the United States come from Germany or Mexico.
VW Group WMI Codes
- WVW — Volkswagen passenger cars, Germany
- WAU — Audi AG passenger cars, Germany
- WP0 — Porsche AG, Germany
- 3VW — Volkswagen vehicles, Mexico
- 1VW — Volkswagen vehicles, United States (Chattanooga, TN)
See all VW Group codes on our VW manufacturer page or the Audi page.
The Chattanooga Plant
Volkswagen's Chattanooga, Tennessee plant produces the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport — the brand's US-market three-row SUV. VINs from Chattanooga begin with 1VW and carry a US-specific plant code at position 11. This is one of the few VW models assembled in the United States.
Audi's US Assembly
All Audi models sold in the US as of 2025 are assembled in Germany, Hungary, or Belgium — none in the United States. US-market Audis will have WMI codes beginning with W (European assembly), most commonly WAU for Ingolstadt-built models and WA1 for Audi Q series SUVs.
Porsche VINs
Porsche vehicles use WP0 for most models. The Cayenne uses WP1, distinguishing the SUV line from the sports car line. All Porsche assembly occurs in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen (sports cars) and Leipzig (Cayenne, Panamera, Macan) — both in Germany, both W-prefix WMIs.
VW Group VDS
VW Group uses a common VDS framework across brands. Position 4 typically encodes the series/model, position 5 the body type, and position 8 the engine code. The NHTSA vPIC lookup returns the full decode for all VW Group vehicles sold in the US market.