How To Sit Lower In Your Toyota MR2 AW11
Fitting guide, Toyota MR2 AW11
A customer who stands 6ft 5in asked us how to get headroom in his AW11. The first-generation MR2 has a low roofline, particularly on the T-bar cars. This is a question that gets asked, and the answer is a short list.
The answer is a BRIDE rail that sits the seat lower, a fibreglass seat such as the Sparco Evo, and the base cushion out on track days, and the rest of this page is the detail.
- The BRIDE XL Super Seat Rail for the AW11 lists up to 30mm lower, depending on the vehicle, at £294.00 inc VAT per seat
- Use a fibreglass seat such as the Sparco Evo, Evo L or Evo XL, from £570.00 inc VAT
- For track days, lift out the base cushion to sit lower still and gain helmet clearance
- The fixed BRIDE FX is the other lowering rail, at £276.00 inc VAT per seat
- One rail is needed per seat, and you choose driver or passenger side
What we have covered already
If you are still choosing a seat for the AW11, start with our Toyota MR2 W10 seat guide, which lists every frame, bracket and rail we sell for the car. The same question has its own guides for the MX-5 NC and the Fiat Abarth 595. This page follows them.
An AW11 is small and the roofline is low, and the Planted SB177 page puts it plainly: shell width and height both matter more than the bracket does, so tell us your height and build before you order.
The rails
The BRIDE XL Super Seat Rail is a genuine BRIDE vehicle-specific sliding rail that bolts to the AW11’s original floor mounting points, and the listing says the seat sits up to 30mm lower, depending on the vehicle. It is a side mount rail, one rail per seat, with part number T047XL for the driver side and T048XL for the passenger side. The BRIDE FX does the same up to 30mm lower as a fixed rail, with no sliding.
Garreth’s recommendation for this car is the BRIDE XL with a Sparco Evo or another fibreglass seat, and we check the seat against the rail before you order.
| Rail | Type | Seating position | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIDE XL Super Seat Rail | Sliding, side mount 290mm x 430mm | Up to 30mm lower, vehicle dependent | £294.00 per seat |
| BRIDE FX Super Seat Rail | Fixed competition rail, side mount 290mm x 395mm, FIA approved | Up to 30mm lower, vehicle dependent | £276.00 per seat |
| Planted Technology SB177 | Steel bracket for the AW11, seats go on runners | No lowering figure listed | £222.60 per side |
-
From £294.00 Incl. VATPayPal CreditJust inSelect options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £276.00 Incl. VATPayPal CreditJust inSelect 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
Garreth: For a car that only he drives I would put the BRIDE FX in, because fixed means no slide mechanism under him and every millimetre counts for a 6ft 5in driver.
Cameron: I would still take the XL, because he needs to set his legs for the pedals before anything is tightened down and the slide lets him find the right seat position first.
Garreth: Both are right. Either way the seat goes lower than the factory one. If you can, sit in the car with the seat on the rail before you decide.
Fibreglass, and the cushion trick
A fibreglass shell is a single moulded seat with the trim and cushion on top, so the part you sit on is thinner than a steel framed recliner with a padded base. Put a recliner on the lowest rail and you give back some of what the rail saved. For this job we would use a fibreglass seat such as the Sparco Evo.
On a track day, lift the base cushion out of the Sparco Evo. You then sit on the shell itself, which drops your head a little further and gives you more clearance under the roof with a helmet on. Put it back for the road, because the cushion is what makes the seat comfortable on a long drive. We do not put a millimetre figure on it, because it depends how far the cushion squashes under you.
Which Evo
The Sparco Evo QRT is the standard shell at £570.00 inc VAT. The Evo L is the wide shell version at £612.00, and the Evo XL is the biggest at £630.00. All three are fibreglass, FIA 8855-1999 approved and side mount. For a driver this tall, tell us your waist and your build and we will pick the shell, because width is what decides it in a cabin this small.
What it comes to
Per seat position, this is the seat plus one rail. The rail is per seat, so double it if the passenger seat is going in too. A harness is extra.
| Seat | Seat only | With BRIDE XL rail (£294.00) | With BRIDE FX rail (£276.00) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sparco Evo QRT | £570.00 | £864.00 | £846.00 |
| Sparco Evo L | £612.00 | £906.00 | £888.00 |
| Sparco Evo XL | £630.00 | £924.00 | £906.00 |
Common questions
How much lower will the BRIDE rail sit me in an AW11?
The BRIDE XL and FX listings say the seat position is up to 30mm lower, depending on the vehicle. That is a figure from BRIDE, and the exact change varies with the car and the seat shell.
Why a fibreglass seat?
A fibreglass shell is a thinner seat to sit on than a steel framed recliner, so you keep the height the rail saves.
Should I take the base cushion out for the road?
No. Take it out for track days to sit lower and gain helmet clearance, and put it back for the road because it makes the seat comfortable on a long drive.
Is the XL slidable and the FX fixed?
Yes. The BRIDE XL is a sliding rail and the BRIDE FX is a fixed type competition rail. Both are side mount.
Which side do I order?
For a right hand drive AW11 the driver rail is the right side, T047XL for the XL, and the passenger rail is the left side, T048XL. You choose the side on the listing.
Can I cancel a BRIDE rail after ordering?
No. BRIDE products are special order from Japan, made for you. Once processing is complete they cannot be cancelled, returned or refunded, so check the side and the chassis code first.
Getting it ordered
Tell us three things: your height, your waist size, and which sides you need. Cameron will pick the seat and rail off that. Ring 0115 647 8650, drop us an email or click to open a chat.
Need a personal recommendation?
We're here to ensure you pick the right seat.
Contact us today.