Recaro Pole Position - ABE or FiA? What's the difference?

[sixspeed]

I'm trying to find out the difference between the shells of a Recaro Pole Position. They sell two different types - one is FiA approved, the other ABE/TUV approved. But looking at the catalogue pictures, the shells look identical, the difference being the side mounts (which seem taller in the ABE/TUV seat).

Has anyone seen the two seats and can confirm whether the actual seat shells are the same on both?

Don't know if this would be better in the motorsport section or not... :-/

[robmug]

From ly experience of FIA testing race seats, I would guess that the shells are the same - if they aren't, then the FIA standard is probably higher than TUV.

[robmug]

...and last time I did FIA testing, the seats were fitted to the test facilities own side mounts (ie they were not a part of the test); TUV test may include testing of the mounts or the seats & mounts as a complete set.

[steil]

IIRC this is about the only 'race' seat that is TUV approved for road use - comes with docs to show approval for many cars.

If you're using for serious track use you're better off with a deeper seat like an SPG, however for mostly road use the PP is convenient to use as it has fairly low sides at thigh-level.

Edited by steil on Wednesday 26th September 13:50

[phib]

The Pole position and Furious are the same shell as are the Apex and SPG in fact my Apex's I just bought even have Prpfi Spg on the stickers !!!!!

Great seats !!!

[Tam Lin]

steil said:

IIRC this is about the only 'race' seat that is TUV approved for road use - comes with docs to show approval for many cars.

If you're using for serious track use you're better off with a deeper seat like an SPG, however for mostly road use the PP is convenient to use as it has fairly low sides at thigh-level.

Edited by steil on Wednesday 26th September 13:50

Pole Position is designed so that it can be used with 3 point belts (hence the low sides, SPG/Apex really need 4/5/6 point harness, unless you feed the lap strap through the seat somehow.

[sixspeed]

It is a 60:40 road:track car, so I don't want to go all-out on full bucket seats.

It sounds like you guys are confirming my suspicions though! Oh, and the Furious does look very similar to the PP - it quotes in the Recaro literature that it has a "35mm increase which adds more comfort"... although where that increase is, and over what, it doesn't say! Having found a tech sheet that shows fitting dimensions though, the PP and Furious have the exact same fitting height, width, depth etc...?! Oh, and of course, the Furious is about £70 cheaper, per seat, than the PP...

• edited to add:

just to confirm - check the specs, Furious and Pole Position have the same dimensions! spec

Edited by sixspeed on Thursday 27th September 01:14

[phib]

They are the same size and dimensions.

Just make sure you buy the right ones for what you want I have had 3 pairs in mine untill I was happy !!!!!!

AS I said earlier I have Apex's in my car and may have a spare set (brand new) comming in next week if you wanted to sit in some you are more than welcome to have a sit in mine.

I am in surrey too

PM if you would like to

[sixspeed]

Thanks for the offer. I would have taken you up on it, but I picked up two Pole Positions today from Demon Tweeks (with a tidy discount ).

Will arrive tomorrow, and will trial fit them in the car on Saturday. They're for a trip to the 'Ring and Spa next weekend, but am waiting for a harness bar to be made up and a second set of floor mount adaptor plates to arrive from the US....

Edited by sixspeed on Thursday 27th September 22:58

[hog 1]

Great seats for road use, IMO a bit heavy for track only use.
Do make sure you fit your 5 or 6 point harnesses correctly with back harness attached to a rear bar mount and not floor mounting. Good info on Schroth site about the angles, etc.