WBA — BMW
A VIN beginning WBA identifies a vehicle built by BMW in Germany, covering 3, 5 and 7 Series. The first character, W, is the region marker; the two that follow narrow it to the manufacturer and division.
Also built in Germany
Questions
›What car has a VIN starting with WBA?
A BMW built in Germany — typically 3, 5 and 7 Series. The three characters identify the manufacturer and plant region, not the specific model; characters 4–8 describe the model itself.
›Is WBA the same as the country of origin?
The first character alone gives the region — W indicates Germany. All three together identify the specific manufacturer and division within it.
›Can I tell the model year from WBA?
No. The WMI says who built the vehicle, not when. Character 10 carries the model year, and character 7 helps resolve which of its two possible years applies.