Corbeau Sprint Vinyl FIA Seats: Quality Checked And Ready For Dispatch
Showroom news, January 2025
A pair of Corbeau Sprint X System 1 seats in vinyl came through the showroom this week for a quality check before going out to a customer. Vinyl is the less common trim on a Sprint, and seeing a pair side by side shows why some drivers choose it.
Here is what the Sprint X is, why you might pick vinyl over fabric, and how the rest of the Sprint range fits together.
- A pair of Corbeau Sprint X System 1 seats in vinyl, checked before dispatch
- Kevlar and glass fibre composite shell, fixed back, side mount
- Homologated to FIA 8855-1999
- Five 3 inch harness slots, for a four or six point harness
- Vinyl wipes clean and copes well with damp, dirt and fluids
- Also made in System 3 and System 5 shells, and in XL
What is on this page
The quality check
Every seat is looked over before it goes out. With this pair that meant checking the shells for any marks, going over the vinyl trim and stitching for defects, making sure the harness slots were clean and clear, and reading the FIA labels. Both seats passed, and they were packed and sent on to their new owner.
The Corbeau Sprint X
The Sprint X is Corbeau’s entry point into FIA homologated seats. Corbeau redesigned it in 2018, taking construction details from their more expensive race seats: an improved shell layup in the high stress areas, high density energy absorbing foam and five 3 inch harness slots. It is homologated to FIA 8855-1999 and takes a four or six point harness.
The System 1 shell is a Kevlar and glass fibre composite. It is a fixed back seat that mounts from the sides, with an integrated headrest but no head protection wings. That keeps the top of the shell narrower, so it fits tighter cockpits and cars without the headroom for a seat with wings, and it is easier to get in and out of.
The vinyl version uses the same shell as the fabric Sprint X, with vinyl upholstery all over and perforated panels on the side bolsters.
Garreth's advice is that the choice of trim should follow the car. For a closed car on dry tracks, fabric is fine. For anything that gets wet, muddy or has the seats in and out often, vinyl earns its keep.
Why choose vinyl
It cleans easily. Vinyl wipes down after a muddy stage or a wet sprint, where fabric soaks up dirt and water.
It copes with damp. In open cars, or cars that stand outside, vinyl holds up better where moisture is a regular problem.
It resists fluids. Vinyl is more resistant to fuel and fluid contamination than fabric.
The trade off is that vinyl runs warmer than fabric. In sprints and hillclimbs, where sessions are short, that matters little; in long endurance stints it is worth thinking about.
The rest of the Sprint X range
The Sprint X comes in fabric or vinyl, in a standard width and an XL that is wider at the hips. There are three shells: System 1 in Kevlar and glass fibre, System 3 in carbon and Kevlar, and System 5 in full carbon, each lighter than the last. The shell exterior can also be finished in a colour of your choice.
Every version is side mount and sold as the seat only. Corbeau side mount seats now use M10 fixings, so they need Corbeau compatible side mounts, or on an M2 Motorsport or PCI Racing frame kit, whose side mounts are drilled for M8, the holes drilled out slightly for M10. That is a small modification rather than a straight bolt-on. Tell us the car and we will list what completes the fitting.
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Is the Corbeau Sprint X vinyl FIA approved?
Yes. It is homologated to FIA 8855-1999, like the fabric version.
What is the difference between the fabric and vinyl Sprint X?
Only the trim: the shell is the same, and the vinyl cleans more easily and copes better with damp and fluids.
Does the Sprint X have head protection?
No. It has an integrated headrest but no head wings, which keeps it narrow at the top.
What harness does the Sprint X take?
It has five 3 inch harness slots and takes a four or six point harness.
Will a Corbeau Sprint X fit an M2 or PCI frame?
Not straight on any more. Corbeau side mount seats now use M10 fixings, so either use Corbeau compatible side mounts or drill the M8 holes on the M2 or PCI side mounts out slightly for M10, a small modification. Ask us if you are unsure.
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Checked and dispatchedSprint X in vinyl
Corbeau's entry FIA seat in a trim that wipes clean after a wet or muddy event.
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