BMW F20 and F21 bucket seat guide, including the M135i and M140i
2011 to 2019
There is a small piece of admin to get past before anything on this car makes sense. Search the catalogue for an F21 seat frame and you will conclude that nothing is made. Search for an M140i and it all appears.
That is how the frame makers list these parts. Planted, PCI and Recaro all catalogue by the engine badge rather than the chassis code, and Recaro also index one of theirs as an F20 and F30 part because the two share hardware. None of that changes what fits, it just makes it hard to find.
Once you know that, this is a well covered car. Both mounting routes exist, the seat range is wide, and there are proper bolt-in cages. The only thing that genuinely splits by body is the cage, where the three door and the five door take different kits.
- Frames for this car are catalogued under the engine badge, so search M140i rather than F20 or F21
- Both routes exist: a PCI sliding sub frame that keeps the seat moving, or a direct fit base mount frame
- Recaro list one frame as an F20 and F30 part, because the two share the hardware
- Recaro sub-frames take Recaro seats only, while base mount Sparco, OMP and Corbeau seats share one bolt pattern
- Roll cages do split by body: the five door F20 and the three door F21 take different kits
- The Corbeau Sprint X System 1 XL is the roomiest shell here at a 36in to 40in waist
What is on this page
Where the frames are hiding
Planted, PCI and Recaro all list their parts for this car under the M140i. That is the reason an F21 owner draws a blank. The floor is common across the generation, so the badge on the listing is a naming convention rather than a restriction.
With that out of the way, the choice is the usual one. The PCI sliding sub frame puts the seat on a runner and keeps the fore and aft adjustment, which suits a car that is still driven every day and shared. The direct fit frames from Planted and Recaro are the base mount route, lower and fixed.
One brand rule to remember. A Recaro sub-frame is drawn for Recaro seats and takes nothing else. The base mount pattern used by Sparco, OMP and Corbeau is shared between those three, so a frame for one takes the others.
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Tell us the badge and the door countThe engine badge finds the frame and the door count finds the cage. M135i, M140i or a lesser model, and three door or five door. Send both and we will make sure the frame and the cage suit the same car before anything ships.
Fixed back competition seats
An M135i or M140i is quick enough to justify a proper shell, and plenty of them see track use. All of these need side mount brackets to join them to the frame.
The Corbeau Sprint X System 1 XL is the one to know about on fit, listed for a 36in to 40in waist. The Mirco RS2 and the Sabelt GT3 are both listed for all driver heights. Most of the others are drawn for drivers under six foot.
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Reclining and dual fitment seats
Most of these cars are still daily drivers, and a reclining shell keeps them that way while fixing the support the standard seat runs out of.
Two seats here mount either way, which is useful if you have not settled the route. The Cobra Monaco Pro and the Sparco Sprint are both listed for base or side mounting, and the Sparco Sprint is FIA 8855-1999 as well, so it is the cheapest way onto a competition approved seat on this page. The Recaro Sportster CS carries no waist restriction in its listing.
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Our picksThe Sparco Sprint is the value answer on this car
It is FIA approved, it mounts either way, and it is the cheapest seat on this page by a distance, which makes it hard to argue with on a road car that sees track days. If the car is properly built, a fixed back shell on the PCI sliding sub frame is the better setup. Cameron works out the fit and the combination for a given car, so send your height, your waist and the badge.
Harnesses
The standard belt works with everything here on the road. On circuit the harness is what stops you using the wheel to hold yourself in place.
The shoulder straps need a solid anchor behind you at or above shoulder height. In a hatchback that means a harness bar or one of the cages below, not the rear seat mounts. Tell us what is behind the front seats and we will confirm before you order.
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Our recommendationsMatch the belt to the rulebook
The TRS Clubman belts do fast road and trackday duty and never need renewing. The Magnum 6 point Superlite and the Schroth Profi carry FIA dates, which is what you want inside a series that requires them and money wasted outside one. Send us the class and we will say which.
Roll cages
This is the part that genuinely splits by body. SW Motorsports make four bolt-in cages: a half cage and a full cage for the five door F20, and the same pair for the three door F21.
A half cage is the usual trackday answer, giving you the rear structure and a harness anchor while leaving the front of the cabin alone. The full cage is for a dedicated car. Both are bolt-in, so neither is permanent in the way a weld-in is.
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What fits what
Waist, height and approval are from each product listing. Where a listing does not state a figure the table says so.
| Seat | Mounting | Waist | Height | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbeau Pro Series X System 1 | Side mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Corbeau Sprint X System 1 XL | Side mount | 36in to 40in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Mirco RS2 3D | Side mount | 32in to 36in | All heights | FIA 8855-1999 |
| OMP WRC-R | Side mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| OMP RS-PT 2 | Side mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Recaro Pole Position | Side mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Sparco Evo QRT | Side mount | Not stated | Not stated | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Sabelt GT3 | Side mount | 32in to 36in | All heights | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Cobra Monaco Pro | Base or side mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Sparco Sprint | Base or side mount | 32in to 36in | All heights | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Recaro Speed | Base mount | 32in to 38in | All heights | Road and track |
| Recaro Sportster CS | Base mount | All sizes | All heights | Road and track |
| Sparco R333 | Base mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | Road and track |
| Sparco R500 Fabric | Base mount | 32in to 38in | All heights | Road and track |
| Cobra Daytona | Base mount | 32in to 38in | All heights | Road and track |
| Corbeau Sportline RRS (pair) | Base mount | 32in to 38in | All heights | Road and track |
Questions about fitting seats in a BMW F20 or F21
I have an F21 and cannot find a seat frame anywhere. Is there one?
Yes. The frame makers list these parts under the engine badge rather than the chassis code, so search M140i rather than F21. Planted, PCI and Recaro all catalogue this car that way, and Recaro list one of theirs as an F20 and F30 part. Send us the registration and we will match the part to your car.
Does the three door take the same cage as the five door?
No. The cages are the one thing on this car that genuinely splits by body. There is a half cage and a full cage for the five door F20, and a separate pair for the three door F21. Tell us the door count when you enquire.
Can I keep the seat adjustment?
Yes, with the PCI sliding sub frame, which keeps the fore and aft travel after fitting. The Planted and Recaro direct fit frames are the base mount route and set the position once, which sits the seat lower.
What is the cheapest way onto an FIA approved seat?
The Sparco Sprint. It is FIA 8855-1999, it is listed for base or side mounting so it suits either route, and it is the least expensive seat on this page. For a road car that does track days it is very hard to argue with.
Which seat suits a broader driver?
The Corbeau Sprint X System 1 XL is listed for a 36in to 40in waist, which is the widest here. Among the reclining seats the Recaro Sportster CS carries no waist restriction, and the Recaro Speed, Sparco R500 Fabric and Cobra Daytona all go to 38in.
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