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  • Lotus seats?

    Anyone ever fitted Elise/Exige seats in a Coupe.

    Would love lower lighter seats in the Coupe but most of the seat options already done are prohibitively expensive for me..
    Love it hate it Marmite exterior, Jaffa cake interior... Perfect

  • #2
    ..just a couple of thoughts....

    the Lotus Elise seats (at least the ones from the S1 version) are a bit sparsely padded -- give a bit of bum-ache after a while -- although maybe that's the S1 driving position ?

    Quite narrow too -- not sure if they might leave the ZM cabin looking a bit under-nourished ?

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    • #3
      Hi , the elise seats from a basic s1 have pretty much no padding
      the seats from the s1 111s have more and i found are pretty comfortable
      with more under leg support

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      • #4
        Hmm, interesting idea!! I don't think any car seats will look lost in the coupe's cabin with it being so small, the standard seats are quite a lot smaller than 3-series for example.

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        • #5
          Friend has an Exige S with Probax seats with the Harness holes etc. I've spent hours in it and find them quite comfy. Probax are far to expensive so are out of the question standard ones it would have to be.

          Part of the idea is find some more space in cabin. Would love to be able to straighten my clutch leg, and not have it wedged against the steering wheel. Smaller OMP wheel will go on first and I'll seehow that helps.


          http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1418828.htm Recon you could mount these lower and with the slim back could mount further back. Would need to fab some mounts and maybe they'd be fixed but then only I drive the Coupe. Must weigh half that of the og's as well...... Interesting
          Last edited by Muppetman; 29-01-2010, 08:17 PM.
          Love it hate it Marmite exterior, Jaffa cake interior... Perfect

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          • #6
            The cheap s1 seats appear on ebay
            sometimes , or try the seloc.org . Can always
            then send them to lotus to be retrimmed
            in the style and colour of your choice....

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            • #7
              Originally posted by brg 990 View Post
              The cheap s1 seats appear on ebay
              sometimes , or try the seloc.org . Can always
              then send them to lotus to be retrimmed
              in the style and colour of your choice....
              Yeah there is a single seat on Pistonheads for £99. Almost worth buying to see how it fits.
              Love it hate it Marmite exterior, Jaffa cake interior... Perfect

              Comment


              • #8
                i had the sport probax (in elise and exiges 06 onwards) seats in my exige s and went to the ring and back with no probs they were supprisingly comfy and would recomend them to anyone. quite popular in kit cars though and fetch a premium on the bay. The s1 ones are not half as good IMHO.
                99 Z3M COUPE, 05 530d M SPORT, 95 E36 328I COUPE TRACK HOUND (about to be sold) 91 78k MILES FBMWSH E30 318is RIGHTNESS:(now sold but never forgotten ) AND ONLY NONE BMW 68 MORRIS MINI COOPER S

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                • #9
                  Sat in a Europa today.... What a nice car... Hmmmmm maybe I'll just buy the car!

                  Much underated when released, rare now and can't find a single bad word about them...
                  Love it hate it Marmite exterior, Jaffa cake interior... Perfect

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    the latest Europa is a great little car -- the thinking man's small Lotus...

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                    • #11


                      http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1463346.htm

                      This the car I saw today. Stormtrooper White....
                      Love it hate it Marmite exterior, Jaffa cake interior... Perfect

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Muppetman View Post


                        http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1463346.htm

                        This the car I saw today. Stormtrooper White....
                        I like, I did actually start to think of one of these the other day. I assume it uses the Toyota engine?

                        Paul

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Wav View Post
                          I like, I did actually start to think of one of these the other day. I assume it uses the Toyota engine?

                          Paul
                          Nope, turbocharged Vauxhall engine 200/225 bhp depending on map. As in the VX220 turbo.
                          Love it hate it Marmite exterior, Jaffa cake interior... Perfect

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I have a real soft spot for lotus ,
                            i like the idea of a small underfunded
                            company beating the big boys !.
                            It was a close call between a real clean s1
                            sport 160 and the m coupe , i'm happy
                            with the choice i made but i will be
                            back in a lotus oneday

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I trialled a VX220 seat over the weekend, which are exactly the same fitment as the Lotus Elise/Exige. The VX seat weighs about 10.5kg with rails. The M Coupe seat is around 26kg.

                              Total M Coupe seats weight: 52kg
                              Total VX/Lotus: 21kg so a saving of 31kg is a fair difference.

                              For me the Z3M seats are ok but just don't sit low enough, that is my main gripe. The weight saving of fitting something like the Lotus/VX seats is a big bonus though.

                              The main problem that becomes apparent is that the M Coupe (and Z3 in general) has seats that are offset with the rails; they are offset towards the centre of the car. This means that as most seats like the VX220/Lotus are centred on their rails, the seat isn't in a good position when you look at the steering wheel (which becomes really off-centre to the left). I'm not sure what people who have aftermarket seats have done but if they're not offset then the steering and pedal will feel strange.

                              The VX seat was also comically low in the car (couldnt' see over the steering wheel ). However this is a good base to start with, after all a seat can be highered it it's too low but not lowered if it's too high even on lowest position.

                              The VX/Lotus subframes are a normal 4 bolt fitment, but the way they fit to the seats is specific to the Lotus seat which would be hard to replicate due to the moulded resin shape. The seats would need brackets to modify the height and offset them at the same time so would need a fair amount of DIY to fit.

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