Customer Question: What's The Widest Seat I Can Fit In My Porsche 986?
Porsche seat fitting guide
The Porsche 986 Boxster has a tight cockpit, which makes wide aftermarket bucket seats hard to fit. The floor is narrow between the tunnel and the door card, and the door cards themselves close in at shoulder height. So when a customer asked what the widest seat is that will go in, the answer depends on whether the door cards stay.
From cars we have dealt with, the OMP WRC-R is the widest seat we know of that fits, but only with the door cards removed. Keeping the interior intact, the Sparco Grid Q gives the most shoulder width and the OMP Champ-R the widest base. Here are the numbers and what to consider.
- The 986 floor measures about 515mm from the tunnel to the door card
- We suggest a seat base under 500mm wide to leave room to position it
- OMP WRC-R: 470mm base, 620mm shoulders, door cards must come out
- Sparco Grid Q: 485mm base, 600mm shoulders, fits with door cards in
- OMP Champ-R: 500mm base, 580mm shoulders, fits with door cards in
What is on this page
How much room there is
Two numbers decide what fits in a 986. The first is the floor: about 515mm from the centre tunnel to the door card. The second is the width at shoulder height, where the door card curves in.
We recommend keeping the seat base below 500mm. That leaves a little room to move the seat sideways during fitting, which helps line the driver up with the pedals and the wheel. A seat that only just squeezes onto the floor leaves no room to adjust.
At the shoulders, anything much over 600mm starts to foul the door cards. That is where the choice between keeping or removing them comes in.
| Seat | Base width | Shoulder width | Door cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| OMP WRC-R | 470mm | 620mm | Must be removed |
| Sparco Grid Q | 485mm | 600mm | Stay in place |
| OMP Champ-R | 500mm | 580mm | Stay in place |
OMP WRC-R: the widest, with the door cards out
The WRC-R is the largest seat we know of that fits in a 986. Its 470mm base sits comfortably on the floor, but the 620mm shoulders are too wide to clear the door cards, so they have to come out.
- FIA 8855-1999 homologated
- Fibreglass shell with high side bolsters
- Five harness slots for 4, 5 or 6 point harnesses, HANS compatible
- Removable split leg cushion and adjustable lumbar
- No built in head restraint, which keeps the top of the shell lower, useful with a roof
- Standard size for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist
If you are happy to remove the door panels, the WRC-R gives the most shoulder support of the three. For a larger driver who needs the width, it is the one to look at.
Sparco Grid Q: the most shoulder room with the door cards in
For the widest shoulder support without touching the interior, the Grid Q is the seat. At 600mm across the shoulders it clears the door cards, and its 485mm base leaves room on the 986’s floor to set the seat’s position.
- FIA 8855-1999 homologated
- Fibreglass shell, fabric trim
- 6 point harness compatible and HANS compatible
- Side mount, using Sparco’s FIA steel side mounts and a frame for the car
- Listed for a 32 to 36 inch waist
OMP Champ-R: the widest base with the door cards in
The Champ-R has the widest base of the three at 500mm, which is right at the limit we suggest for the 986 floor. Its 580mm shoulders are narrower than the WRC-R, so it clears the door cards and the interior stays as it is.
- FIA 8855-1999 homologated
- Fibreglass shell with medium side bolsters
- Five harness slots, HANS compatible
- Removable lumbar and leg support
- Side mount
- Listed for drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist
For drivers who need width at the hips more than at the shoulders, the Champ-R is the one.
Other seats for the 986
If you do not need the widest seat, the rule of thumb is simple: look for a base under 500mm and shoulders under 600mm. Seats in that envelope go in without major changes and leave room to fine tune the position for pedal reach and visibility, whether the car is for fast road use or competition.
Garreth’s advice is to measure yourself as well as the car. Hip and shoulder width decide which of these will actually be comfortable, and a seat that fits the car but pinches the driver is no use. Tell us your height and waist and we will suggest the right size.
What is the widest bucket seat that fits a Porsche 986?
The OMP WRC-R, with a 620mm shoulder width, but only with the door cards removed.
What is the widest seat that fits a 986 with the door cards in place?
The Sparco Grid Q has the widest shoulders at 600mm, and the OMP Champ-R the widest base at 500mm.
How wide is the Porsche 986 floor for a seat?
About 515mm from the centre tunnel to the door card, so we suggest a seat base under 500mm.
Are these seats FIA approved?
Yes. The OMP WRC-R, Sparco Grid Q and OMP Champ-R are all homologated to FIA 8855-1999.
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Keeping the door cards?Grid Q or Champ-R
The Grid Q for shoulder room, the Champ-R for hip room, both with the 986 interior intact.
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