Enter the 17-character VIN of your BMW Seria 1 to see the factory basics. Free, with no registration.
Look on the dashboard, the driver's door frame or in the registration document.
Type all 17 characters. The letters I, O and Q are never used in a VIN.
See the factory basics for free, and order a full report for the history behind the VIN.
The free decoder reads the 17 characters of a BMW Seria 1 VIN and returns the manufacturer, the model year and the country of manufacture. No registration is needed. Our data for the model covers 16 versions, model years from 2004 to present, Convertible, Hatchback and Sedan bodies, and power from 95 to 340 hp.
A VIN does not contain accidents, mileage, theft or owners, and that information comes from a paid vehicle history report. On a car you are looking at, check that the VIN on the car matches the registration papers, and that the model year and version in the advert, such as Hatchback 5dr (F20) or Cabrio (E88), fit what the documents say.
2004 - present
Production years
95 - 340 hp
Power
3
Body styles
16
Versions
Versions and generations in our data. Use the VIN to confirm which one you have.
| Version | Years | Body | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback (E87) | 2004 - 2007 | Hatchback | 115 - 265 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Coupé (E82) | 2007 - 2011 | - | 143 - 306 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback 3dr (E81) | 2007 - 2011 | Hatchback | 116 - 258 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback 5dr (E87 LCI, facelift 2007) | 2007 - 2011 | Hatchback | 115 - 258 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Cabrio (E88) | 2008 - 2011 | Convertible | 143 - 306 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Cabrio (E88 LCI, facelift 2011) | 2011 - 2013 | Convertible | 143 - 320 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Coupé (E82 LCI, facelift 2011) | 2011 - 2013 | - | 143 - 320 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback 5dr (F20) | 2011 - 2015 | Hatchback | 95 - 320 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback 3dr (F21) | 2012 - 2015 | Hatchback | 95 - 320 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback 3dr (F21 LCI, facelift 2015) | 2015 - 2017 | Hatchback | 109 - 340 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback 5dr (F20 LCI, facelift 2015) | 2015 - 2017 | Hatchback | 109 - 340 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback 3dr (F21 LCI, facelift 2017) | 2017 - 2019 | Hatchback | 109 - 340 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback 5dr (F20 LCI, facelift 2017) | 2017 - 2019 | Hatchback | 109 - 340 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Limuzyna (F52) | 2017 - 2024 | Sedan | 136 - 231 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback (F40) | 2019 - 2024 | Hatchback | 109 - 306 hp |
| BMW Seria 1 Hatchback (F70) | 2024 - present | Hatchback | 122 - 300 hp |
The 10th character of the VIN is the model year. For the BMW Seria 1, with model years 2004 - present in our data, these are the characters to expect. The letters repeat every 30 years, so always confirm the year against the car itself.
On the driver's side, visible through the windshield.
On a sticker on the door frame or the edge of the door.
Printed in the vehicle registration or title.
Stamped on the firewall or the frame on many models.
A VIN is built from six parts, and each one says something about the vehicle. Our guides explain how to read it and what it can and cannot tell you.
Enter the 17-character VIN and see the factory basics in seconds.
Our data lists model years 2004 - present across 16 versions of the BMW Seria 1. The VIN of a particular car shows its model year in the 10th character.
It is the 10th character. For the BMW Seria 1 the characters to expect are 4 (2004), 5 (2005), 6 (2006), 7 (2007), 8 (2008), 9 (2009), A (2010), B (2011), C (2012), D (2013), E (2014), F (2015), G (2016), H (2017), J (2018), K (2019), L (2020), M (2021), N (2022), P (2023), R (2024), S (2025), T (2026).
16 versions, in 3 body styles, with power up to 340 hp. Use the VIN to confirm which one you have.
Decode the VIN to get the model year, then compare it with the versions in our data, for example the F20 Hatchback 5dr and its facelifts marked 2015 and 2017. The year alone may not settle it, so check the registration document as well.
All 17 characters must match exactly, and none of them should be I, O or Q. Then check that the tenth character agrees with the stated model year and the eleventh with the plant, if the documents give those details.
It will not show accidents, mileage, theft or previous owners, because none of that is stored in the VIN. It also reads only the manufacturer, model year and country of manufacture, so it will not confirm the exact power output or body style of a particular car.