Front bench seats
Discussion
Is there a reason these don't exist anymore? Was looking at an American pickup today and it reminded me of driving as a teenager in my Land Rover 110 V8 with my gf in the middle seat.
Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
I had a Honda FRV that wasn't a bench but 3 proper seats with the middle sliding back so your shoulders could be offset to take 3 adults. The rear matched as well so you could do 6 with enough room in the boot for all your stuff as well.
It was quite wide and had quite a thin structure beyond the seats, skinny doors etc. I presume crash regulations were a factor in killing it off.
I would have it again like that but a bit wider, it wasn't massive massive and it was such a practical layout with three upfront.
It was quite wide and had quite a thin structure beyond the seats, skinny doors etc. I presume crash regulations were a factor in killing it off.
I would have it again like that but a bit wider, it wasn't massive massive and it was such a practical layout with three upfront.
Maybe a question of the width required? Modern car doors, festooned with airbags, etc., as they are, are quite thick and with people getting increasingly wide too, installing three comfortable seats (or even two comfortable seats and a narrow occasional seat) is probably quite hard without making the vehicle stupidly wide?
Snow and Rocks said:
Is there a reason these don't exist anymore? Was looking at an American pickup today and it reminded me of driving as a teenager in my Land Rover 110 V8 with my gf in the middle seat.
Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
Possibly the last UK built car with a bench seat option was the Mk3 Cortina 1970 -1973Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
markymarkthree said:
Snow and Rocks said:
Is there a reason these don't exist anymore? Was looking at an American pickup today and it reminded me of driving as a teenager in my Land Rover 110 V8 with my gf in the middle seat.
Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
Possibly the last UK built car with a bench seat option was the Mk3 Cortina 1970 -1973Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
Sebring440 said:
Glosphil said:
So where was the gear lever when a bench front seat was fitted?
On the transmission tunnel, in front of the centre of the bench seat.Mr Tidy said:
Sebring440 said:
Glosphil said:
So where was the gear lever when a bench front seat was fitted?
On the transmission tunnel, in front of the centre of the bench seat.
They're not 3 across bench seats, but a few cars have no centre tunnel and the front seats joined in the middle.
Early Citroen Cactus automatic, sitting in the middle would be awkward anyway with the handbrake being in front of the seat cushion...
Nissan Cube, column shift and the handbrake is a footbrake pedal.
Honda N Box and many other Kei cars. The gearshift is usually on the centre console, with a footbrake like the Cube.
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Early Citroen Cactus automatic, sitting in the middle would be awkward anyway with the handbrake being in front of the seat cushion...
Nissan Cube, column shift and the handbrake is a footbrake pedal.
Honda N Box and many other Kei cars. The gearshift is usually on the centre console, with a footbrake like the Cube.
[
Snow and Rocks said:
Is there a reason these don't exist anymore? Was looking at an American pickup today and it reminded me of driving as a teenager in my Land Rover 110 V8 with my gf in the middle seat.
Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
Outside of commercial vehicles it's just a bit weird isn't it? It's basically a solution for three blokes to be able to go out to the middle of nowhere and do what they do. It's not really a logical option for say a normal family in any regard. Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
As mentioned, the new Defender still has a middle front seat option, which can bring the 90 up to a six-seater (or the 110/130 to an eight) if you want. Not strictly a 'bench' seat, but functionally similar.
I'd be surprised if it doesn't become more common given cars are wider now than they ever were, and BEV power means no transmission intrusion, and even shifting is now mostly dash mounted.
I'd be surprised if it doesn't become more common given cars are wider now than they ever were, and BEV power means no transmission intrusion, and even shifting is now mostly dash mounted.
DonkeyApple said:
Snow and Rocks said:
Is there a reason these don't exist anymore? Was looking at an American pickup today and it reminded me of driving as a teenager in my Land Rover 110 V8 with my gf in the middle seat.
Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
Outside of commercial vehicles it's just a bit weird isn't it? It's basically a solution for three blokes to be able to go out to the middle of nowhere and do what they do. It's not really a logical option for say a normal family in any regard. Surely an easy way to get an additional seat for occasional use too? What was the last thing to have them fitted in the UK aside from vans.
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