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Our Top Carbon Bucket Seats, Trimmed And Bare-Shell Review
Bucket seat guide
A carbon bucket seat is the step up when every kilogram counts. A carbon shell is stiffer than fibreglass, so it holds its shape and holds you in it, and it is usually lighter. It also looks the part, which matters in an open car or a finished interior.
Carbon seats vary a lot, though. Some are FIA homologated competition seats, some are road and track seats with no FIA approval, and some are bare shells built for racing to a weight limit. Here are the carbon seats we rate, grouped by what they are for, with the approval, sizing and mounting from our own listings.
- Carbon shells are stiffer than fibreglass and often lighter
- FIA homologation depends on the model, not the material
- Most carbon competition seats are side mount only
- Many have a fibreglass version with the same approval for less
- Sizing varies by model, so check the waist range before ordering
Why choose a carbon bucket seat?
Compared with a steel-framed or fibreglass seat, a carbon seat gives you:
- A stiffer shell. It deflects less under cornering load, so the support stays where it should through a long corner.
- Less weight in most cases, which matters most in a car being built to a class minimum.
- The look. An exposed carbon weave suits show cars, open cockpits and finished interiors.
Carbon does not change the approval. A carbon seat is FIA homologated only if that model is, and many carbon seats have a fibreglass twin with the same homologation for much less money. On a club car, the fibreglass version satisfies the same scrutineer. Carbon earns its price where weight is being chased, or where the finish is part of the point.
Trimmed FIA carbon seats
These are FIA 8855-1999 seats with a carbon shell and full trim, for competition or a serious track car.
Corbeau Pro Series X System 5. System 5 is the full carbon, and lightest, shell in the Pro Series X range. FIA 8855-1999, side mount, five harness slots, a HANS zone at the shoulder, a split leg cushion and M10 12.9 bolt inserts at the mounting points. The standard shell suits a 32 to 36 inch waist and drivers under six feet; the XL version suits a 36 to 40 inch waist. The shell comes in a choice of gel coat colours.
Sparco Evo Carbon and Evo L Carbon. Sparco’s widely fitted Evo, built in carbon. FIA 8855-1999, fixed back, side mount only, with no head wings. The standard Evo is narrower than most people expect, and the L shell is for drivers who find it tight at the shoulders. The carbon versions cost roughly double the fibreglass Evo QRT.
OMP RT Carbon. A street-friendly FIA 8855-1999 seat with bolsters you do not have to climb over, available with a carbon or fibreglass shell. The carbon shell is around 5.2kg, roughly half the fibreglass version. Side mount at 290mm spacing, four and six-point harness compatible, 32 to 36 inch waist.
Recaro Pole Position Carbon ABE. The carbon-aramid version of the Pole Position, at around 4.5kg. It carries German ABE road approval, not FIA homologation, so it is a road and track seat, not one for scrutineered competition. Side mount, 32 to 36 inch waist, under six feet, in velour or leather.
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Head-supported carbon seats
For competition cars, a seat with head support holds your head under braking and quick direction changes, and does a more serious job in an impact. These are track and race seats, not everyday road seats.
Sparco Circuit Carbon. The Circuit puts head protection into a small cockpit: the bolsters come round past your head, and the shell is cut narrow, so it fits cars where a bigger head-restraint seat will not go. FIA 8855-1999, side mount, six-point harness compatible.
Sparco Circuit II Carbon. The Circuit II shell is for a bigger torso, sized across a 32 to 36 and 36 to 40 inch waist, and is worth a look if the standard Evo squeezes you through the ribs. FIA 8855-1999, side mount, four and six-point harness compatible, listed for all heights.
OMP HTE-R Carbon. An autoclaved carbon shell with an integrated padded head restraint, Airtex trim, removable split leg cushions and adjustable lumbar support. FIA 8855-1999, HANS compatible, five harness slots, around 6.6kg or 6.8kg depending on size. The standard seat suits a 32 to 36 inch waist, and the XL, 50mm taller and wider, suits 36 to 38 inches.
For a closer comparison, see our guide to carbon head-restraint FIA seats.
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Road and track carbon seats (not FIA)
If you are not racing in a scrutineered class, you do not need FIA approval, and these seats give you the carbon look and stiffness with comfort for real-world use.
Cobra Nogaro Circuit Carbon. A fixed-back bucket with a carbon shell and harness slots for a four-point belt, side mount only, for a 32 to 36 inch waist. It is made to order in Amalfi leather with Dinamica suede, tartan or your own two-colour combination, with optional heating and lumbar support. Allow four to six weeks.
Mirco GT Track Day Carbon. The GT shape on a carbon shell, in velour, with no FIA homologation, for road, track days and sim rigs. Side mount, four-point harness compatible, 32 to 36 inch waist, and listed for drivers over six feet, so it suits taller drivers who find the standard GT short in the back.
Mirco XL Carbon. The wider Mirco shell in carbon for larger drivers, in 32 to 36 or 36 to 40 inch waist sizing. Road, track and sim use, not FIA homologated, side mount, four-point compatible.
Mirco S3000 Carbon. The S3000 shape in carbon, in velour, for road and track use with no FIA homologation. Side mount, four-point compatible, 32 to 36 inch waist. If your class needs an FIA seat, Mirco’s GT, RTS, RS and RTX ranges carry FIA 8855-1999.
All the Mirco seats come in a choice of velour colours, with personal name embroidery available.
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Lightweight carbon shells for racing
When the priority is weight and driver feel, a minimal carbon shell is the answer. These are competition seats for circuit racing, hill climb, sprint and time attack, where every gram counts.
Tillett B6 Screamer Carbon. The FIA 8855-1999 version of Tillett’s compact, upright B6 shell, in carbon and GRP. Tillett build each shell to 5.8 to 6.1kg. It is 40cm wide inside, or 44cm with the rolled edges left on, and both are within the homologation. Side mount only, six-point harness, and set for HANS use at 30 degrees.
Tillett B6 XL Screamer Carbon. The wide-shell B6 Screamer, 43cm without the rolled edges or 47cm with them, under the same FIA 8855-1999 homologation. Side mount only, six-point harness. If you do not need FIA approval, the non-Screamer B6 XL Carbon costs less and can be side or base mounted.
Sparco Ultra Carbon. Sparco’s top-of-range FIA 8855-1999 competition seat on a full carbon shell, side mount only. Sparco update the trim periodically, so if the interior finish matters, ask us what the current batch carries. This is a competition purchase, not a track day seat.
Our guide to the top bare shell fibreglass and carbon lightweight seats covers more options in this category.
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The seats at a glance
| Seat | Approval | Waist (from our listing) | Mounting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corbeau Pro Series X System 5 | FIA 8855-1999 | 32 to 36in (XL 36 to 40in) | Side |
| Sparco Evo Carbon / Evo L Carbon | FIA 8855-1999 | Ask us | Side |
| OMP RT Carbon | FIA 8855-1999 | 32 to 36in | Side |
| Recaro Pole Position Carbon ABE | ABE road approval | 32 to 36in | Side |
| Sparco Circuit Carbon | FIA 8855-1999 | Ask us | Side |
| Sparco Circuit II Carbon | FIA 8855-1999 | 32 to 36in or 36 to 40in | Side |
| OMP HTE-R Carbon | FIA 8855-1999 | 32 to 36in (XL 36 to 38in) | Side |
| Cobra Nogaro Circuit Carbon | Road and track | 32 to 36in | Side |
| Mirco GT Track Day / XL / S3000 Carbon | Road and track | 32 to 36in (XL up to 40in) | Side |
| Tillett B6 Screamer / B6 XL Screamer | FIA 8855-1999 | Ask us | Side |
| Sparco Ultra Carbon | FIA 8855-1999 | Ask us | Side |
Choosing the right carbon seat
Start with these questions:
- Road or competition? A road and track seat like the Cobra Nogaro Circuit Carbon suits a road car and track days. A scrutineered class needs an FIA seat, and your series rules may set other requirements too.
- What size are you? Check the waist range for the model, and remember some shells run narrow. Garreth’s advice is to send us your height, waist and hip measurements, or come and sit in the seats, before spending this much.
- Do you want head support? Seats like the Sparco Circuit Carbon and OMP HTE-R add protection, but they are for track and race use.
- How much room is there? In a compact cockpit, a narrower shell such as the Sparco Circuit, or a compact shell like the Tillett B6, may be the one that fits.
Almost all of these seats are side mount only, so budget for approved side mounts and a frame for your car. For a competition car, the mounts need to be approved ones for the installation to keep the seat’s homologation, so check with your scrutineer. FIA seats also carry a manufacture date, so ask us for the date on current stock.
Are carbon bucket seats FIA approved?
Only if that model is homologated. Many are, such as the Corbeau Pro Series X System 5 and Sparco Ultra Carbon, but road and track seats like the Mirco carbon range are not.
Is a carbon seat worth it over fibreglass?
In a series chasing weight, often yes. On a club car, the fibreglass version of the same seat usually carries the same approval for much less.
Is the Recaro Pole Position Carbon ABE FIA approved?
No. It has German ABE road approval, so it is not for scrutineered competition.
Can the Tillett B6 Screamer be base mounted?
No. The B6 Screamer is side mount only. The non-Screamer B6 XL Carbon can be side or base mounted but is not FIA approved.
Do carbon bucket seats need side mounts?
Almost all the seats here are side mount only, so you need approved side mounts and a frame for your car.
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Where to startFit first, then carbon
Pick the shell that fits you and your class, then decide if carbon is worth it.
Need a personal recommendation?
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Contact us today.