Hundreds Of Products Ready Today. Dispatch/Collection Customer Car: Mini R50 Fitted With Sparco GT Reclining Sport Seats
We recently helped a customer upgrade the interior of their Mini R50 with a pair of Sparco GT reclining sports seats, and the final result looked fantastic. These seats suited the car perfectly thanks to their compact size and clean, classic design. Not only did they drop straight into the cabin without any interior modifications, but they also cleared both the door cards and the centre console, which can often be a challenge in smaller vehicles.
The customer opted for a full Sparco fitment setup, using a Mini R50-specific sub-frame and a pair of Sparco sliding runners. This created an adjustable seating solution that retained everyday comfort while offering a far more supportive and stylish feel compared to the factory seats. The setup worked smoothly, bolting directly to the OEM floor mounts and aligning perfectly with the base of the GT seat.
It’s always great to see a seat and vehicle combo come together this well. The proportions of the GT match the Mini’s compact cockpit without feeling cramped or out of place. The end result was a much sharper interior feel that still retains the usability you’d want in a road car, a proper upgrade that keeps the fun and personality of the Mini intact.
A Closer Look at the Sparco GT Reclining Seat
The Sparco GT is one of the most versatile reclining sports seats in Sparco’s road seat range. It blends classic style with practical comfort and features a reclining backrest system, an integrated lumbar support adjustment, and a vintage-look headrest that can be raised or lowered depending on your preference. These features make it ideal for everyday driving or light performance use, but it’s important to note that this is not a seat intended for motorsport or track-day competition.
Built around a strong steel frame, the Sparco GT has a durable structure while still being comfortable enough for regular road use. Its outer trim features a mix of high-quality vinyl on the bolsters and suede-style fabric down the centre, giving it a smart OEM-plus appearance that blends well into older interiors or retro-inspired builds.
Key features:
- Reclining backrest with lever adjustment
- Classic separate adjustable headrest
- Built-in lumbar support adjustment with hand wheels
- Steel frame construction
- Split vinyl and suede-look trim
- Road-use focused seat (not FIA approved)
- Base mount configuration (345 mm wide bolt pattern)
Seat Dimensions and Vehicle Compatibility
The Sparco GT is a compact seat, which is why it fits so well into cars like the Mini R50. With an overall width of just 550 mm, it’s slim enough to avoid interior clashes in tighter cockpits while still offering good comfort and support.
Unlike bucket seats with deep side bolsters, the lower part of the GT is designed with a more open base. This makes it more forgiving and allows it to accommodate a wider range of body types. We generally recommend this seat for drivers with a 30–36 inch waist, but the open-leg area can work well for slightly broader users too.
Main dimensions:
- Shoulder width: 500 mm
- Outer seat width: 550 mm
- Depth: 570 mm
- Height: 860 mm
Explore the Sparco GT Seat Range
We stock and display the black vinyl and suede Sparco GT seat in pairs at our showroom, making it easy for customers to see them in person or buy a full set for both driver and passenger sides. We’ve also created a paired seat listing online, which shows our live stock availability for immediate dispatch.
In addition to the black trim version, we also offer the Sparco GT Houndstooth Edition, a more vintage-inspired version with iconic houndstooth centre fabric. It’s a great option for drivers wanting to match a classic theme or period-correct style.
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Installation in the Mini R50
The Sparco GT is a base-mounted seat, like most recliners, and uses the industry-standard 345 mm wide bolt pattern. This allows it to pair easily with Sparco’s own sub-frames and sliding runner kits. For the Mini R50, we recommend using our Sparco-specific seat frame, which is a direct bolt-in solution for the car. It lines up with the factory bolt holes in the Mini’s floor and provides a solid base for the seat to mount onto.
To complete the setup, the customer used Sparco’s universal sliding runner kit, which mounts between the seat and the sub-frame and provides easy front-to-back adjustment. All the components in this installation, the seat, frame, and runners, use the same bolt pattern, so everything lines up straight out of the box with no adaptation needed.
If you’re using hardware from another brand like OMP, Planted Technology, or Corbeau, you’ll also be fine as long as their sub-frame matches the 345 mm spacing. Cobra is the only exception here, as their equipment uses a 291 mm bolt pattern, so in that case, an adaptor plate will be required to bridge the difference.
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Why the Sparco GT Works So Well in the Mini R50
The Mini R50 has a small interior and very little room to spare between the tunnel and door panels. Many sport seats, especially recliners with large shoulder bolsters, simply don’t fit without trimming or forcing. The Sparco GT avoids that entirely with its slim profile and tapered base.
Beyond the dimensions, the style of the GT seat also fits the Mini’s character. The classic design, separate headrest, and suede-look centre panels blend in well with both stock and modified interiors, especially if you’re aiming for a vintage or OEM+ feel.
Summary: A Clean, Comfortable Upgrade for Your Mini
The Sparco GT reclining seat is a great upgrade for the Mini R50, offering better support, a more focused driving position, and a simple installation process. With compact proportions, retro-inspired styling, and road-focused comfort, it’s a great choice for daily drivers, weekend cars, or show builds where fitting space is tight.
Our customer’s install came together without a hitch, thanks to Sparco’s Mini-specific frame and matching fitting hardware. If you’re looking to upgrade your Mini’s interior with something stylish, practical, and well-built, the Sparco GT is one of the best options available.