She is a 50-year-old Thai woman who lives in Auckland.
She remains in Middlemore Hospital in a critical condition.
Mystery had surrounded her identity.
The critically injured woman is fighting for her life and investigators hoped someone would recognise the two distinct tattoos that decorate her shoulder and lower leg.
The woman made a bid for freedom from the late model sedan's boot by jumping from it as it travelled along Huia Road in suburban Papatoetoe.
Neighbours rushed to the heavily restrained woman's aid as she laying bleeding on the road.
Police today said they did not know who the victim was and were pinning hopes someone would come forward and solve this critical piece of the puzzle.
She was described as a petite Asian woman believed to be anywhere between 35 and 55 with two colourful tattoos.
One is of a dolphin on her left shoulder and the other an angel on the inside of her left ankle.
Police said they were now hunting for up to two people involved in last night's incident.
However, they wanted to reassure the public they were doing everything they could to find them.
"We want to assure the public we are doing everything we can to locate the person or persons involved in this crime. However, we still need members of the public who saw anything they think may be relevant to contact us."
There were officers who were fluent in Thai and Chinese assigned to the case, he said.
Det Insp Lynch said police were still trying to identify the car which they believed to be a late model silver sedan.
He said the driver of a car following initially gave chase when the sedan sped off but lost track of it and did not get a clear look at its registration plate.
They appealed for anyone who saw a vehicle fitting the description in the surrounding area to contact them.
Police this morning lifted a cordon blocking off a section of Huia Rd more than 12 hours after the woman jumped for freedom but say they are continuing investigations in the area.
Doctors treating the woman at Middlemore Hospital said she remained in a critical condition but was "causing concern".
Huia Rd resident Jay Shah said he was bringing in his rubbish bins when the car sped past about 7pm.
Its boot popped open and the woman - who was tied around her neck, legs and arms - fell on to the road.
"I was getting the rubbish bins back into the house and I saw someone jump out of the boot of the car," Mr Shah said.
"When I saw the body fall out of the boot, I ran towards the body to make sure everything was all right. I thought she was about to die.
"She had a metal rod next to her ... so I think she used the metal rod to jack open the boot and then jump out.
"Her legs were tied and her hands were tied up and she was strangled around the neck with cloth strips."
Mr Shah told the Herald he could see bruises on her hands and wrists, where she was tied.
"I untied the tie around her neck so that she could breathe and by that time, a few others came and they helped me get other strips of cloth off her neck as well," he said. "She couldn't talk. Her nose was bleeding and she was frothing from her mouth."
The car continued speeding down Huia Rd and towards Motatau Rd.
He did not think the driver realised the woman had managed to free herself from the boot.
Police appealed for anyone who had information to call 0508 422 443.
