Citroen C1 bucket seat guide
2005 to 2014
The C1 has quietly become one of the best value ways into circuit driving in this country, mostly because of C1 racing, and we get more calls about this car than its price would suggest.
The good news is that the decision tree here is short. One frame is catalogued for the C1, it is a direct fit base mount, and that settles the mounting question before you have started. What is left is picking a shell that fits both you and a cabin that is not very wide.
The less good news, and we would rather say it than let you find it at the checkout, is that a cage for one of these costs more than a lot of C1s do. That is not a reason not to buy one, and if you are racing you have no choice. It is a reason to know the number before you get attached to the idea.
- One frame is catalogued for the C1, the OMP direct fit sub frame, and it is base mount
- No sliding sub frame exists for this car, so the seat position is set once
- The OMP TRS-E is FIA approved, mounts either way and is listed from a 28in waist
- Two Custom Cages kits are catalogued, a CDS multipoint and an international T45
- Both cages cost more than many C1s, which is worth knowing before you order
- Side mount brackets are a separate part from both the seat and the frame
What is on this page
The frame
OMP make the direct fit sub frame and it is the only one catalogued for this car. It bolts into the standard seat mounting points and takes the new seat straight onto it, which drops the seat lower than standard. In a C1 that matters more than you would think, because head room with a helmet on is the thing that catches people out.
Being a direct fit base mount, it sets the position once. There is no sliding sub frame for the C1, so the fore and aft travel goes with the standard seat. If the car is shared between drivers of very different heights, that is worth a conversation before you order, because there is no clever way round it.
A fixed back shell needs side mount brackets on top of the frame. They are a separate part and they are not included with the seat.
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Fixed back competition seats
Four shells here, all FIA approved and all needing side mounts.
The Mirco GT 3D and the RS1 3D are the compact ones and they suit this cabin well. The OMP Champ-R is the value fibreglass shell and the one that turns up in a lot of C1 builds. The Sparco Rev QRT is the only one of the four listed for all driver heights, so if you are near 6ft, start there.
All four are 32in to 36in waist seats. If you need narrower, look at the OMP TRS-E below.
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Reclining and dual fitment seats
The OMP TRS-E is the useful one on this page. It carries FIA 8855-1999, it mounts either base or side, and it is listed from a 28in waist, which almost nothing approved is. In a car this size that combination is exactly what you want.
The rest are recliners for a C1 that is still a road car. The Auto Style AK and RK both list no waist restriction and are fitted for all driver heights, and the Sparco R100 is the same. They are not race seats and they do not pretend to be, but they will hold you a great deal better than the standard C1 seat does.
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Our picksOMP frame and an OMP TRS-E, and you are done
Same maker either side of the joint, FIA approved, listed from a 28in waist and it mounts either way, so it works whether or not you add side mounts later. For a road C1 that does track days there is not a lot to think about. Send Cameron your height and waist if you want it checked properly.
Harnesses
The standard belt is right on the road and works with everything above. On circuit a harness is the half of the job that holds you into the seat, and without it a bucket seat is doing about a third of what it could.
The shoulder straps need a solid anchor behind you at or above shoulder height. In a C1 that means a cage or a harness bar, and nothing else. The floor behind the seat is not an anchor, whatever holes happen to be there, because that strap angle loads your spine instead of holding you back.
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Our recommendationsDated belts only where the rules ask for them
If the car is a trackday C1, the TRS Clubman belts do the job and never need renewing. If you are racing, the Magnum 6 point Superlite and the Schroth Profi carry the FIA dates the regulations ask for. Tell us the championship and we will confirm which applies before you order.
Roll cages
Custom Cages make two kits for the C1, a multipoint in CDS steel and an international multipoint in T45. The T45 kit is the lighter competition specification and carries the FIA and Motorsport UK compliance, and the CDS kit is the club and trackday build.
Here is the part we would want to hear if we were buying. Either kit costs more than a good many C1s are worth, and once you have paid to have it fitted you are past the value of the car by some distance. If you are racing, that is simply the cost of racing and everybody in the paddock has paid it. If you are building a trackday car and just want a harness anchor, tell us that and we will point you at the cheaper way of getting one.
Check the class before you buy the cageThe regulations name the specification, so the choice between CDS and T45 is usually made for you by the rule book rather than by preference. Send us the championship you are entering and we will confirm which kit is the one you are allowed to run.
What fits what
Waist, height and approval are taken from each product listing. Where a listing does not state a figure the table says so.
| Seat | Mounting | Waist | Height | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mirco GT 3D Fabric | Side mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Mirco RS1 3D | Side mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| OMP Champ-R | Side mount | 32in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Sparco Rev QRT | Side mount | 32in to 36in | All heights | FIA 8855-1999 |
| OMP TRS-E Velour | Base or side mount | 28in to 36in | Under 6ft | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Auto Style Type AK | Base mount | All sizes | All heights | Road and track |
| Auto Style Type RK | Base mount | All sizes | All heights | Road and track |
| Auto Style Type BS5 | Base mount | All sizes | Under 6ft | Road and track |
| Sparco R100 | Base mount | All sizes | All heights | Road and track |
Questions about fitting seats in a Citroen C1
Is there more than one frame for a C1?
No. OMP make the direct fit sub frame and it is the only one catalogued for this car. It is a base mount, so the seat position is set once when you fit it. That makes the decision easy, and it means the only thing left to get right is the seat itself.
Will I have enough head room with a helmet on?
The direct fit frame drops the seat lower than standard, which usually solves it. In a car this short in the roof it is the main reason to fit one at all. If you are over 6ft, tell us before you order and we will talk it through rather than guess.
What is the narrowest FIA approved seat that fits?
The OMP TRS-E Velour, which is listed from a 28in waist and carries FIA 8855-1999. Everything else approved on this page starts at 32in. It also mounts either base or side, which keeps your options open.
Do I really need a cage?
Only if you are racing and the regulations say so, or if you want the protection. For a trackday car the practical reason people fit one is the harness anchor, and a harness bar does that job for far less money. Ring us and say what the car is for and we will give you the honest answer.
Do the same parts fit an Aygo or a 107?
They are the same car underneath, but our listing names the C1 and we are not going to tell you it fits something the maker has not listed. Send us the registration and we will confirm it with OMP before you order.
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