Customer Question: Can I Fit The OMP RT Seats Into My BMW Z3?
Customer question
One of the questions we are asked most by BMW Z3 owners is whether the OMP RT bucket seat will fit their car. The short answer is yes: the RT's shoulders are narrow enough for the Z3's cabin, and it goes in on a Planted Technology bracket.
The Z3 is a small car, though, and the detail matters. This guide covers the space you have to work with, why the RT suits it, the other seats we suggest, and the parts you need to fit it.
- The Z3 takes a seat up to about 575mm wide at the shoulders
- OMP list the RT at 570mm wide at the shoulders
- The RT comes in carbon, around 5.2kg, or fibreglass, both FIA 8855-1999
- It is a side mount seat at 290mm lateral spacing, HANS compatible
- Fitting: side mounts on a Planted Technology Z3 bracket
- An OMP slider kit adds fore and aft adjustment if you want it
What is on this page
The space in a BMW Z3
The Z3 is a compact two seater with a snug, driver focused cockpit. That is part of its appeal, but it limits the seats that will go in. The figure that matters is the shoulder width: in our experience a seat up to about 575mm wide at the shoulders sits within the Z3’s trim. Go wider and the shell starts to foul the interior, and the fix becomes cutting trim, which most owners do not want.
So the first thing we check for any Z3 seat is the width across the top of the shell, and then the waist size and height of the driver, which decide whether the seat is comfortable once it is in.
Why the OMP RT fits
OMP list the RT at 570mm wide at the shoulders, which is inside the Z3’s limit. OMP describe it as street friendly, and that suits the car: it is a fixed back competition shell with bolsters that hold you without having to climb over them, and a shape that is less extreme than seats built only for circuit use.
It is homologated to FIA 8855-1999 and is compatible with a head and neck restraint, so the same seat works for a road car, track days and club motorsport. As with any FIA seat, the approval expires on a date tied to when it was made, so ask us to read the date off the seat before you order.
Carbon or fibreglass. The RT comes with either shell, and the choice is about weight. The carbon shell is around 5.2kg and the fibreglass roughly twice that. Both carry the same FIA approval, so for a road car or a club car the fibreglass is the sensible buy, and the carbon makes sense where every kilo is counted.
Trim. The seats in our photos are trimmed in leather with Alcantara panels, which grip well and feel better against a suit than a smooth surface. Alcantara wants brushing, not wiping, so it suits a car that lives indoors.
Other seats we suggest for the Z3
If the RT is not quite right for you, these are the smaller bucket seats we suggest Z3 owners look at. Check the shoulder width of whichever you choose against the 575mm figure, and your waist against the seat’s size.
- Cobra Monaco Pro. A steel plated FIA 8855-1999 seat that can be base or side mounted, for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist.
- Sparco Sprint. Sparco’s entry FIA seat with a steel shell, base or side mount, for a 32 to 36 inch waist.
- OMP TRS-E. A tubular steel framed FIA seat with velour trim and removable leg cushions, which can also be base or side mounted.
Fitting the RT in a Z3
The RT is supplied as the seat only. It is a side mount seat at 290mm lateral spacing, so it needs a pair of approved side mounts, and those bolt to a bracket made for the car. For the Z3 we use the Planted Technology bracket, which bolts to the factory seat mounting points in the floor, so nothing is drilled.
Check which Z3 you have. Our Planted listing is for the Z3 Coupe and M Coupe, 1996 to 2002. If yours is a roadster, tell us and we will confirm the bracket before you order.
If more than one person drives the car, the seat can go in with or without a slider. The OMP seat slider and runner kit adds fore and aft adjustment; its bolts are not included, so tell us what you are mounting to and we will list the hardware. Garreth’s advice is to sit in the RT first if you can, and to measure the gap between your head and the roof with a helmet on before choosing between the slider and a fixed mount.
-
From £707.96 Incl. VATPayPal CreditKlarna ReadySelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £222.60 Incl. VATPayPal CreditSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Will the OMP RT seat fit a BMW Z3?
Yes. OMP list the RT at 570mm wide at the shoulders, inside the roughly 575mm the Z3’s cabin allows.
What bracket do I need for a bucket seat in a BMW Z3?
A Planted Technology Z3 bracket for each side, with approved side mounts for a side mount seat like the RT.
Is the OMP RT FIA approved?
Yes. Both the carbon and fibreglass versions are homologated to FIA 8855-1999.
Can I add a slider to the OMP RT?
Yes. The OMP seat slider and runner kit adds fore and aft adjustment; the bolts are bought separately.
What other bucket seats fit a BMW Z3?
We also suggest the Cobra Monaco Pro, Sparco Sprint and OMP TRS-E, checked against the 575mm shoulder figure.
💬
Our Z3 answerOMP RT on a Planted bracket
A 570mm wide FIA shell that suits the Z3, on side mounts and a Planted bracket.
Need a personal recommendation?
We're here to ensure you pick the right seat.
Contact us today.