The Vehicle Identification Number program was initiated in 1980 as a way to standardize the serial numbers on cars. Cars built before 1981 don't prescribe to a universal standard and therefore require manufacturer-specific information to decode. The entire VIN process was created to assure people don't pretend one car is another.

Knowing how to decode a VIN is an easy way to make sure you're not ripped off by either buying a vehicle pretending to be something it isn't, like a stock Mustang dressed up to be a special edition Cobra, or purchasing a car with a salvage or rebuilt title. But how to do it? The folks at DriverSide.com helped out by giving us some details which we've now expounded upon below:

Step One: Find The VIN

The vast majority of new cars have the VIN located under the front of the windshield, typically made visible through a small, clear square within the tinted area. Depending on the year and price of the car you're looking at, what's there will vary from a nicely stamped piece of metal to a cheap plastic piece bolted onto the dash. For special models or expensive sports cars there may be a special VIN plate located in the door sill or on the dash.

Once you find the VIN the fun begins!

Step Two: Breaking Down The VIN

As you can see in the graphic above, the VIN is broken down into six parts:

Make/Model: (Digits 1-3) This breaks out the make, model and manufacturer of the vehicle.

Vehicle Features: (Digits 4-8) These digits identify the various features of the specific model.

Verifying #: (Digit 9) Using a complex mathematical formula this number determines whether or not the information has been faked.

Model Year: (Digit 10) This number or letter describes the year the MY for the car.

Assembly Plant: (Digit 11) This single digit identifies the assembly plant.

Sequence Of Model Production: (Digit 12-17) These digits indicate the order in which the vehicle left the assembly line.

NOTE: A VIN will never include the letters I, O or Q because of their similarity to the numbers "1" and "0" though, seriously, who confuses a Q with a 0?

Step 3: Decoding The Make

We're going to use the VIN: 1ZVHT82H485113456 from the photo above as the sample VIN we work from. By the end, we'll know a lot about this "mystery" vehicle.

Our first decoding challenge is to figure out who made this vehicle, found in the digits: 1ZV

The first digit in the make code will always be the country of manufacture. There are numerous country codes, but the general ones are:

• USA: 1, 4 or 5
• Canada: 2
• Mexico: 3
• Japan: J
• Korea: K
• England: S
• Germany: W
• Italy: Z
• Sweden: Y
• Australia: 6
• France: V
• Brazil: 9

• Looking at our code it's clear we're dealing with an American car or a foreign car built in America.

  When we add the next two digits to the equation we figure out who the company is that makes it. The full three digit code is called the "World Manufacturer Identifier" and will tell us the company behind the car. Rather than just handing an "F" to Ford or a "G" to GM, the layout gets more detailed. For instance, "1GC" is Chevy trucks and "1G1" is Chevy passenger cars. You can cross reference the WMI with this list of common WMIs

  It turns out "1ZV" is the code for AutoAlliance International, which is a company building cars for both Mazda and Ford. This means are car is either a Ford or Mazda product.

  
  

  Step 4: Decoding The Vehicle Features

  More than just telling you what the model of a car is, this section often describes the type of engine and platform the car is using. How this is used is based on the country and company, though most companies selling cars in North America have similar formats. Since we know it's a Ford or Mazda it's fairly easy to decode what HT82H means.

  The first digit, H, is a safety code and indicates the car has front and side airbags. Other digits include "B" for the use of active belts but no airbags. The letters "L" and "F" or "K" indicate different generations of airbags.

  Digits 5-7, in this case T82, tell us what kind of vehicle this is. Using this handy guide to Ford VINs we know Ford uses "T8_" to indicate a Mustang coupe. Even more exciting, it's a either a Mustang Bullitt, Coupe GT or Coupe Shelby GT. If someone is trying to sell you a Mustang and claims it's a "GT" hardtop but it has "T80" they're lying to you.

  

  The most important digit, if you're trying to determine what engine the car has, is this eighth one. In this case, the digit H indicates we have a car with Ford's 4.6-Liter modular V8. If the digit was an "N" it would indicate a V6 and we'd know something was fishy. If the code was an "S" we'd know we had a Coupe Shelby GT on our hands.

  
  

  Step 5: Using The Check Digit

  
  Most companies use the ninth digit, always a number, as a check digit. Using a complex mathmatical equation, they can decide if the value of multiplying all of the numbers and letters in the VIN besides the 9th digit, when divided by 11, has a remainder equal to the check digit.

  If you're a total math nerd you can follow these instructions. If you're a little lazier, you can use this calculator to determine if your check digit is correct. Ours is correct, so we know either the VIN plate is legit or, at least, the creator is really good at math.

  
  

  Step 6: Determining The Model Year

  
  Since 1980, different countries have used slight variations of model years, but there's a generally accepted format most companies use for the 10th digit. If the car was built between 2001 and 2009 the digits "0-8" which means our vehicle's 8 is telling us it's a 2008 MY vehicle.

  If the car was built between 1980 and 2000 the code is goign to be "A-Y" sequentially excluding the three letters not found in any VIN. For example, a car built in 1994 would have the code "R" and a car from 2000 has the digit "Y" on its VIN plate. Starting in 2010, cars reset with the letter "A" for most companies.

  
  

  Step 7: Decoding Where It Was Built

  
  The 11th digit is for identifying where the vehicle was made. There's no set standard for this, so you need to consult a list of the company's manufacturing facilities and VIN codes. These are almost all up on Wikipedia. For instance, here's a page with a list of Ford factories. This tells us the 5 in our VIN matches up to the AutoAlliance plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, which makes sense given the first three digits.

  
  

  Step 8: The Sequence Of Model Production

  
  The final six digits indicate how far along into production the vehicle was built but, because some companies make a lot of a certain model, this isn't necessarily a number. In the case of our Mustang, the digit is a number: 113456.

  For most car owners, this number isn't very significant. For special models, such as limited edition Corvettes or end-of-production vehicles, this can be the best way to determine if the vehicle is what it purports to be. Most Mustangs are produced on the same assembly line so, in this case, we can't determine anything special about the car.

  
  

  Step 9: Compare What The Number Shows To Your Vehicle

  
  
  When we zoom out it's clear the car is a 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt. Compare this to what is shown in the VIN number it appears our car checks out.

  For more information about the VIN number check out DriverSide.com

  [Supporting Info: Mustang Attitude, CarSpace, Wikipedia, MotiveMag]

  Photo Credit: Serious Wheels, dwaycar]

It seemed like everything was going so well, he was already in second and pulling strong. Maybe he just realized he was about to lose to a wagon and bailed. Hey Pa, can you go fetch the rifle for us, because that's one Mustang with a seriously broken leg.

[Streetfire]

The teaser image du jour of theshift knob from the 2010 Ford Mustang looked familiar to us (and to a few readers). Although the bezel and plastic molding over the transmission tunnel is clearly new, that giant aluminum ball looks awfully familiar. Maybe because it appears to be the spittin' image of the one found in the 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt we recently reviewed. Yes, that's right, you too can snag yourself the same shift knob as the 2010 Mustang for a wee fee of $109.95. Just remember though, in order to get the right fit, you'll have to order the shifter bezel and boot to go along with it. That'll set you back an additional $189.95. At these prices you're better off just buying the new 'stang.

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: Yes
Treehuggers: No
Mack Daddies: Yes
Tuner Crowd: No
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: No
Poseurs: No
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: Yes
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• 2010 Chevy Camaro
• 2009 Dodge Challenger RT
• Dodge Charger Police Package
• Shelby Mustang 350-H
• BMW 335i Coupe
• Infiniti G37
• 1968 Ford Mustang 390 CID Fastback, Highland Green, no badges, dented in the front

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Ford
• Model year: 2008
• Base price: $27,020
• Price as tested: $34,705
• Engine type: 4.6-liter V8
• Horsepower: 315 @ 6,000 RPM
• Torque: 325 @ 4,250 RPM
• Transmission: 5-speed Manual
• Curb weight: 3,590 lbs
• LxWxH: 187.6" x 73.9" x 55.5"
• Wheelbase: 107.1"
• Tires: P235/55ZR17
• 0 - 60 mph: 5.0 seconds
• EPA fuel economy city/highway: 15/23 MPG
• Jalopnik fuel economy: 18.4 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating (Front/Driver Side/Passenger Side): *****/*****/****

Also see:
• 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt, Part One
• 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt, Part Two

Acceleration: ****
The buff books have been pegging the Bullitt 's 0-to-60 MPH time at around five seconds flat. That just-slightly-faster than a stock Mustang GT time is achieved thanks to a shorter rear-axle ratio, freer-flowing exhaust and an additional jolt of power from a Ford Racing cold air intake. The redline's been pushed to 6500 rpm. None of that, of course, means anything when you're driving it. The force of gravity pulling your ass backwards and the force of glee pulling the corners of your mouth into your cheeks as you smoke the tires is the best measure of speed, and the Bullitt has plenty of both.

Braking: ***
When you're going fast it's hard to remember that you need to stop. In fact, the best check of the brakes occurred not at the end of the drag strip, but rather as I noticed the fuel gauge beeping and the last gas station on an empty road fast approaching. Braking is sufficient, bringing the car to a halt without any theatrics, but it's nothing amazing.

Ride: ****
This is a Mustang? A performance Mustang? Though not Oldsmobuick floaty, it still manages to glide across the road and even off the beaten path it doesn't bitch and moan. I found it hard to believe that this was a heavy muscle car, much less a Mustang, even after driving it all the way across Texas.

Handling: ****
Balance and predictability are the two key factors here. The Bullitt benefits from a unique strut tower brace and new anti-roll bars which give the chassis a solid feel. Other tweaked suspension bits combine for an enjoyable-yet-manageable experience when tossed around at high speed. Accelerate into a turn from a dead stop and the Mustang's signature propensity to fishtail reveals itself, but even that is precise and controllable thanks to the quick steering.

Gearbox: ****
Who cares about six gears? Who cares about fuel economy? Not us so much. Five well-spaced ratios are all we needed to make the Bullitt perform. The globular aluminum shifter knob is comically large and, in the heat of action, leaves the numbers '1' through '5' and the letter 'R' seared backwards into the driver's palm, but it ends up enhancing the experience given how short and easy the throws are. Just add a layer of french fry grease and it becomes part of your hand.

Audio: ***
There's nothing particularly special about the standard-issue Ford system, which comes with an Auxillary input jack and the option of satellite radio. The real audio system is the car's exhaust, which has supposedly been specially tuned to the sounds from Bullitt. I've watched the movie and I can't quite confirm that, but it doesn't much matter; step on the gas and the deep, throaty rumble will have the high-school girl in the V6 Mustang convertible down the block taking a brief recess from consulting her Sidekick to admire it.

Toys: **
The navigation system might be out of place, but it's functional and touchscreen. Designers, sadly, maintained the 'select-your-color' cupholder and footwell lighting that's offered in the basic GT. I tried to keep the color pink as long as I could manage it — about five seconds. Also, no Sync in our test model. But the lack of toys actually speaks well to the car's purpose — driving.

Value: ***
All told, the 2008 Bullitt comes in at a somewhat hefty $34,705 after the ambient lighting option, GPS, and destination and delivery. If you're not willing to give a GT the necessary upgrades on its own, then it's worth every penny. It's seriously the best Mustang Ford makes. They could, and likely will, come out with 15 more special editions before you finish reading this sentence, but the Bullitt would still be the best. How can you say no when it feels so good?

Overall: ****
There are those who would pass on the car because of the gimmick you must first embrace, the gimmick of the car's eponymous film association. Yes, it is a bit silly. But passing on the car for such a reason would be like walking out on the first course of a carefully prepared meal because you don't like the amuse bouche. It would mean passing on the only muscle car with which you could use the term amuse bouche in a review without feeling a little ridiculous.

Also see:
• 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt, Part Three
2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt, Part One

My journey started in Dallas, a place where, a poet said, they took a billion steers and made them into buildings made of mirrors. A major metropolitan area, Dallas relishes its wealthy, conservative status. It's home to billionaires, 15 at last count, not bulls. You shouldn't underestimate the city as an urban place, like I did. I was scheduled to fly in and pick up the Bullitt just before 5:00 pm, meaning that I got to share in the universal big-city experience of traffic. Though the clutch isn't particularly heavy, the repetitive motion of engaging and disengaging first resulted in some embarrassing soreness.

The next morning I set out early for Austin, anxious to experience the wide open expanse that is Interstate 35 between the two cities. The sun rising over my left shoulder shined against the hand-turned aluminum covering the dash as I marveled at the joy highway driving could bring after two years crisscrossing Chicago. Driving the Bullitt at speed I'm equally amazed at how solid it feels, how smoothly it drives. The construction and attention to detail are so great that I wonder if it doesn't embarrass the engineers to have to go back to working on other Mustangs.

I check my speed as I cross into Waco, which marks the southern border of the Great Plains and the start of the Texas Hill Country. As the road crests, the braking starts, and my eyes scan the border for the black-and-white-and-browns of the Texas Department of Public Safety patrol cars. How unfortunate it would have been to get busted by the Dr. Pepper Squad, as they're pejoratively known, in the town that invented Dr. Pepper. The Bullitt is so stealth and low-key, especially compared to the wildly-striped special editions, I slipped past all law enforcement with ease.

After thirty minutes of sitting around my friend's North Austin apartment, he politely asks what I want to do. We could grab a Shiner Bock at one of the bars situated along the University of Texas' main drag, but my visit to Austin was about more than gawking at leggy coeds. The city sits at the edge of the Balcones Escarpment, remnants of an ancient mountain range, and has the winding roads to prove it.

Without much effort, I'm able to push the Bullitt further and further without feeling like I'm suddenly going to launch the car off the cliff lurking behind a small barrier to my right. I keep downshifting so we can listen to the syncopated thrum of the pony car's eight cylinders projecting off the limestone walls. The quiet American may be a thing, but there's never been a myth about a quiet Texan.

My hunger for the road was nowhere near waning, but the painted sign of the BBQ shack reminded me of an entirely different kind of hunger. As we exited, a group of teenagers walked by, obviously impressed by the sleek pony car. One of them was misled by the lack of a GT badge or spoiler, saying to his friends "It's just the V6 Mustang." Au contraire! I let them know that they shouldn't be confused by the Highland Green paint and lack of badges, this is a special Mustang. I speak with an embarrassing amount of pride given that this isn't actually my car... but that kid needs to be put in his place.

After a weekend in Austin enjoying the abundant and ridiculously good Mexican food, I point my dark green steed toward the coastal plain and Houston. A truly international city with over 90 languages actively spoken, you're more likely to get into a discussion with a Nigerian ex-pat at an exhibit at one of Houston's world-renowned museums than you are to walk into an argument over the proper way to shoe a horse.

About 20 miles out of Houston, in the little town of Sealy, I'm excited to find an unwatched drag strip behind the shop I'm visiting. With no one looking, I push the Mustang to its limits. While my lungs needed time to readjust to the warm, saturated air flowing off the adjacent Gulf of Mexico, the Bullitt inhaled gulps of air and fuel as it propelled me down the track and deeper into my high-backed chair. Though only slightly faster than a stock GT, this particular pony sounds and feels faster. I circled back to the track repeatedly until I realized I had made plans for lunch where I grew up in one of Houston's affluent northern suburbs.

There's nothing better than showing up back home with a car this beautiful and powerful. There are countless Mustangs on the road, but none of them look quite like this. That's why it's so much fun pointing it out to friends, family and people from high school I randomly bump into near the mall. Sure, the car's not mine, but the experience of driving it was too great not to brag about. Modesty is also not a legendary Texas trait.

My work in Houston done, I drove back towards Dallas to drop off the Bullitt and hop on a plane back to Chicago. I still had 200 miles of the rolling, pine-covered terrain of East Texas to cross before I was done but the thought that this was all coming to an end was inescapable. I contemplated turning west, abandoning my responsibilities so I could explore more of this wonderful state.

Even a thousand miles driven in Texas revealed only part of the story of the state and of the car. Texas isn't just cowboys, it's also astronauts and accountants. The Mustang Bullitt isn't just a film homage, it's a typically American car designed to atypically high standards. Though both owe some measure of their popularity to silver screen creation myths involving rogue lawmen and ruthless killers, limiting one's self to fulfilling these antiquated notions means sacrificing an unimaginably glorious and complex present. Lose the boots for some real driving shoes and toss the turtleneck in the trunk. It's Texas: It's too hot for a turtleneck.

Also see:
• 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt, Part Three
• 2008 Ford Mustang Bullitt, Part Two

(Photos Copyright Matt Hardigree/Jalopnik)

We especially appreciate those who went out of their way and made up Wert-centric paraphernalia to display your command of auto-site-enthusiasm. Check out the gallery to see if you're famous, otherwise thanks for showing up and we hope to put together more events to amuse and entertain you slobs in the future. Also, if you pay attention in the galleries, there's room for dragon jokes.

Ford has got it all wrong with the new Bullitt Mustang. It's tried to create a modern version of the original but, as I've just finished restoring one of the 1967 cars, I think I'm in a good position to judge. The new car is nothing like a modern GT 390 - it's much better.

Pat says it's all about the power:

"Using all of Ford Racing's tuning know-how, the Bullitt puts out 15bhp more than the standard car - bringing the total to 315bhp. It can also use more power, more of the time, thanks to some stouter suspension and some pretty fancy cross-braces under the bonnet."

"One feature it might have been an idea to update from the original - it can't be seen, so why not? - is the live rear axle. While drag race fans like this simpler set-up, an independent suspension would make the car handle better and more predictably. It's a bit more expensive - ah, that's why not - but it would probably be worth it."