What's The Size Difference Between The Recaro Pole Position ABE And OMP RT?
Bucket seat comparison
The Recaro Pole Position ABE and the OMP RT are two of the seats we are asked to compare most often. Both are fixed back bucket seats with an integrated headrest, both are side mounted, and both are popular in cars that are driven on the road as well as on track. From a distance they look like close relatives.
They are not the same kind of seat, though. The Recaro is a road approved shell that is not FIA approved, and the OMP is an FIA approved competition seat that OMP describe as street friendly. Here is how their sizes compare, using the manufacturers' own figures, and how to decide which one belongs in your car.
- Recaro Pole Position ABE: glass fibre shell, about 7kg, 880mm tall
- OMP RT: carbon or fibreglass shell, 850mm tall, FIA 8855-1999 approved
- The Recaro has ABE road approval, not FIA approval
- Both are side mount seats, sold without mounts
- Our listings suggest both for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist
- Both are on display in our showroom to sit in
Recaro Pole Position ABE against the OMP RT
The biggest difference is not the size, it is the approval. The Pole Position ABE (Recaro part 070.77) carries ABE certification, a German component road approval that allows it to be fitted in many cars on the road with a standard three point belt. It is not FIA approved, so it will not pass scrutineering at an event that asks for an FIA seat.
The OMP RT is homologated to FIA 8855-1999, the standard most club championships ask for. It is a competition seat first, but OMP shaped it to be comfortable in a road car too, with bolsters you do not have to climb over and removable padded inserts.
So the first question is where the seat will be used. If you compete, or plan to, the RT is the one of these two that can go with you. If the car lives on the road with the odd track day, both are worth considering, and fit and comfort decide it.
The sizes side by side
These figures come from Recaro’s and OMP’s own specification sheets. The two makers do not measure in exactly the same places, so treat the widths as a guide to the shape, not a like for like comparison, and allow for a tolerance of around 10mm either way.
| Measurement | Recaro Pole Position ABE | OMP RT |
|---|---|---|
| Shell | Glass fibre (GFRP) | Fibreglass or carbon |
| Height of seat back | 880mm | 850mm |
| Seat cushion | 390mm max width, 495mm max depth | Inner width 380mm (fibreglass), 375mm (carbon); bottom length 530mm (fibreglass), 520mm (carbon) |
| Width at the shoulders | Not published | 580mm (fibreglass), 570mm (carbon) |
| Weight | About 7.0kg | 10kg fibreglass, 9.5kg carbon (complete seat, OMP figures) |
| Approval | ABE road approval, not FIA | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Belt slots | Four point harness, or a three point belt | Four, five or six point harness |
| Mounting | Side mount | Side mount |
In practice the Recaro is the taller seat, by about 30mm at the top of the backrest, and it is lighter. The OMP has a slightly longer cushion and a more pronounced shoulder area. Our own listings put both seats in the same band: drivers under six feet with a waist of 32 to 36 inches. If you are near the top of either range, sit in them before you buy.
The Recaro Pole Position ABE
The Pole Position is one of Recaro’s longest running racing shells, and the ABE version is the one built for the road. The one piece glass fibre shell has an integrated headrest and Recaro’s S shaped backrest, and unlike the FIA version it has a paddable lumbar support, which makes a real difference on a long drive.
It comes in several trims, including black velour, full black leather and Ambla leather with Dinamica suede centres. There is also a carbon version. Because it is not FIA approved, anyone who later moves into competition would need the Pole Position FIA or another approved seat.
The OMP RT
The RT comes as a fibreglass shell or a carbon shell. Both carry the same FIA 8855-1999 homologation, so the carbon is a choice about weight and stiffness, not about approval.
It is trimmed in leather with suede-like centre panels, it is compatible with a head and neck restraint, and it has slots for four, five or six point harnesses. It side mounts with OMP's usual spacing of about 290mm between the mounting points on each side.
Support, fit and everyday use
Support. Both seats hold you firmly. The Recaro’s bolsters are shaped for a range of drivers, with the extra lumbar adjustment for comfort. The OMP wraps more at the shoulders, which suits track use and gives a harness a well defined path.
Getting in and out. Neither is a recliner, so there is no tilting the backrest to reach the rear seats. The OMP has lower sides than many FIA seats to make access easier, and the Recaro’s cushion bolsters are moderate. On a daily driven car, sit in both and try getting in and out a few times.
Belts. The Recaro’s road approval is with a three point belt. It can also take a four point harness, but on the road the three point belt is the one that counts. The OMP is designed around a competition harness.
Mounting either seat
Both seats are sold on their own. You need a pair of side mounts to suit the seat, and a subframe made for your car to bolt the side mounts to. For the Recaro, use Recaro’s own side mounts and, for the subframe, a Planted bracket: Recaro mounting does not mix with Corbeau parts. For the OMP, use approved side mounts and a subframe designed for your car.
If you are fitting the OMP for competition, remember that the approval covers the whole installation. An FIA seat on unapproved mounts is not an approved installation, and an FIA seat carries a date tied to when it was built, so ask us for the manufacture date before you order.
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Which seat is right for you
Choose the Recaro Pole Position ABE if the car is mainly a road car, you want a seat approved for use with a three point belt, you value the lumbar support on a longer drive, or you want a choice of trims.
Choose the OMP RT if you compete or plan to, your championship asks for an FIA 8855-1999 seat, you are going to use a harness, or you want the option of a carbon shell.
Garreth’s advice is to try both if you can. We keep them in the showroom, and five minutes in each tells you more than any table. If you cannot get to us, send your height and waist size and we will tell you honestly how each is likely to fit. There is more on this family of seats in our post comparing the Cobra Nogaro and Recaro Pole Position, and on trims in our guide to bucket seat materials.
Which is taller, the Recaro Pole Position ABE or the OMP RT?
The Recaro is taller, at 880mm against the OMP’s 850mm, according to the manufacturers’ figures.
Is the Recaro Pole Position ABE FIA approved?
No. It has ABE road approval; for FIA approval you need the Pole Position FIA or another approved seat.
Is the OMP RT FIA approved?
Yes. Both the fibreglass and carbon versions are homologated to FIA 8855-1999.
Which seat is lighter?
The Recaro, at about 7kg; OMP quote 10kg for the fibreglass RT and 9.5kg for the carbon RT as complete seats.
Do the seats come with mounts?
No. Both need side mounts and a subframe to suit your car, bought separately.
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Our viewRoad or race decides it
The Recaro for a road car with a three point belt, the OMP RT when you need FIA approval.
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