The Sparco Evo XL in carbon. Part number S008015ZNR.
Two things are going on in this seat and both are worth understanding before you spend. The XL is the largest shell in Sparco’s range without a head restraint, cut for a driver around a 38 inch waist. The carbon is the construction, and it is what puts this seat at more than double the price of the fibreglass version.
Carbon buys you stiffness and weight. A stiffer shell deflects less under load, which means the seat holds its shape and holds you in it. Whether that is worth the difference depends on what you are doing: in a car built to a weight limit or a series where every kilo is being chased, it is. On a club car it is a lot of money for a difference you will feel more in your wallet than in the seat.
Specification
FIA 8855-1999 homologated, fixed back, side mount only, black shell with black stitching, no head support wings.
What else you need
Approved side mounts and a vehicle specific sub-frame. An approved seat on unapproved mounts is not an approved installation.
The fibreglass Evo XL is the same shape and the same approval for a great deal less. Ask us for the manufacture date on current stock before you order, because an FIA seat expires on a date tied to when it was built.
Have you written anything about this exact product?
Yes, we have covered this exact product: Sparco Evo XL Fitted in a Mini R53: Big Seat, Perfect Fit, and Honda Civic FK8 Type R with Sparco Evo XL & TRS Red Harnesses. That is first-hand coverage from our own builds and showroom, not brochure copy.
Will I fit in this seat?
Send us your height and waist size and we will confirm the fit. The paper dimensions only tell half the story, and our showroom team sit in these seats every day, so you get the honest answer rather than a guess from a chart.
Is it FIA approved, and for how long?
Yes, it carries FIA 8855-1999 homologation. Every FIA seat has a not-valid-after year printed on its homologation label, and that label date is what a scrutineer checks, so look at the label on the seat you receive and check it against your championship regulations. Buying new means you get the freshest label the maker currently produces.
What do I need to fit it to my car?
This is a side-mount seat: it hangs between side brackets, the motorsport-style stack with fine height and angle control. You will need the car-specific frame, and a sliding runner if you want fore-and-aft adjustment. Our guide on base mount versus side mount walks through the whole stack, and tell us your car and we will quote the full kit.
How do I know it will feel right, not just fit on paper?
Fair question, because makers publish widths and weights, never feel, and two seats with identical numbers can feel nothing alike in the car. We keep the ranges on display in the Nottingham showroom, you are welcome to come and sit in them, and if you cannot get to us, call and describe your build, as the team sit in these seats every day. Our head support measurements guide shows the kind of real-world data we collect.
