Customer Car: Mini R50 Fitted With Sparco GT Reclining Sport Seats
Customer car, December 2025
We helped a customer fit a pair of Sparco GT reclining sport seats to their first generation Mini, and the result looks right at home. The GT is a compact seat with a classic shape, and in the Mini it cleared the door cards and the centre console, which is often where seats in small cars come unstuck.
The customer went for an all Sparco setup: the GT seats, a Sparco sub-frame for the Mini and a pair of Sparco sliding runners. It bolts to the factory floor mounts and gives an adjustable seat that is still easy to live with every day. Here is a closer look at the seat, the sizes and how it went together.
- Sparco GT reclining sport seat, part number 009012NR
- Steel frame, vinyl outer trim with a suede-look centre
- Recline, adjustable headrest and lumbar adjustment
- Road and track seat, not FIA homologated
- Base mount on the 345mm by 271mm pattern
- Fitted on a Sparco Mini sub-frame with Sparco sliding runners
What is on this page
A closer look at the Sparco GT
The GT is one of the most versatile seats in Sparco’s road range. It has a classic look with modern comfort: the backrest reclines on a lever, the headrest adjusts for height, and there is lumbar adjustment on a hand wheel at the side of the seat. That makes it a good seat for everyday driving and spirited road use.
It is a road and track seat with no FIA homologation, so it is not a seat for competition. If the car is going racing, a homologated bucket seat is the right choice.
The seat is built around a steel frame. The trim is vinyl on the outer bolsters with a suede-look fabric down the centre, which gives it a smart OEM plus look that suits older interiors and retro builds.
Key features of the Sparco GT:
- Reclining backrest on a lever
- Separate height adjustable headrest
- Lumbar adjustment on a hand wheel
- Steel frame construction
- Vinyl outers with a suede-look centre
- Takes the standard seatbelt or a four point harness
- Base mount, 345mm by 271mm
Seat dimensions and fit
The GT is a compact seat, which is why it suits the Mini. The lower part of the seat is more open than a bucket with deep side bolsters, so it is more forgiving and suits a wider range of body shapes. Our listing gives it as suiting a 32 to 36 inch waist.
| Measurement | Sparco GT |
|---|---|
| Shoulder width | 500mm |
| Outer seat width | 550mm |
| Depth | 570mm |
| Height | 860mm |
Garreth’s advice is to send us your height and waist before ordering any seat for a small car, and we will tell you honestly whether it suits you.
Installation in the Mini
The GT is a base mount seat on Sparco’s 345mm by 271mm pattern. For this Mini we used the Sparco sub-frame for the car, which bolts to the factory mounting points in the floor and gives a solid base for the seat. Sparco’s Mini frame also comes with a bracket for the original seatbelt buckle, so the car keeps its own belt.
To finish it, the customer used Sparco’s sliding runner kit, which goes between the seat and the sub-frame for fore and aft adjustment. The seat, frame and runners share the same bolt pattern, so everything lined up with no adapting.
Sparco list different sub-frames for the first generation Mini depending on the model, so tell us exactly which Mini you have and we will match the right part. We keep to a matched Sparco seat, frame and runners where we can, and check any other combination before it is ordered.
The GT sits on the Sparco frame with the runners between, giving the fore and aft adjustment a road car needs.
On a car that more than one person drives, runners make a big difference. On a car only one person drives, some prefer the seat bolted straight to the frame.
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Why the GT works in the Mini
The first generation Mini has a small cabin, with little room between the tunnel and the door panels. Many sport seats, especially recliners with large shoulder bolsters, do not fit without trimming or forcing. The GT avoids that with its slim profile and tapered base.
The style suits the car too. The classic shape, the separate headrest and the suede-look centre panels sit well in a standard or modified Mini, especially one going for a period or OEM plus look.
We had the black GT on display in pairs in the showroom, and there is also a Houndstooth Edition with a black and white check centre for a more vintage look.
The recline and the lumbar
A reclining seat is what keeps a car usable every day, and the GT’s lever recline is quick to use. The lumbar wheel lets you add support at the base of your back, which helps on longer drives. Our guide to hand wheel and quick tilt reclining mechanisms explains the difference between the two main types.
Does the Sparco GT fit a first generation Mini?
Yes. Our customer’s pair went in on a Sparco Mini sub-frame and runners, clear of the door cards and the console.
Is the Sparco GT FIA approved?
No. It is a road and track seat with no FIA homologation.
What bolt pattern does the Sparco GT use?
It is a base mount seat on Sparco’s 345mm by 271mm pattern.
Can I keep my original seatbelt with the Sparco GT?
Yes. The GT takes the standard seatbelt, and the Sparco Mini frame has a bracket for the original buckle.
Which Mini sub-frame do I need?
Sparco list separate frames for different first generation Mini models, so tell us exactly which car you have.
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Our viewA compact recliner that suits the Mini
The Sparco GT on a Sparco Mini frame and runners: a clean, adjustable fit for a road car.
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