Rover Metro and Rover 100 seat guide: start with the base
Customer question · Rover Metro / Rover 100 · Checked 2 October 2026
A customer called about fitting different seats to a Rover Metro, also known in its later form as the Rover 100. The first thing we had to sort out was the base: we cannot currently supply an off-the-shelf, vehicle-specific seat bracket for this car from the manufacturers we work with.
That makes it a custom installation. Our advice is to speak to a fabricator or rally preparation specialist before buying the seats. They need to inspect the car, agree a suitable mounting design and work out the driving position with you.
Once you have someone who can make a suitable base, the choice of seats opens up. The five recliners and three smaller bucket seats below are the shortlist we would take to that conversation. None is a confirmed bolt-in Metro fit, and the finished base needs to suit the chosen seat, runners and driver.
Custom base required
No ready-made Metro/Rover 100 seat fitting kit in our current range.
Five recliners, three buckets
Options to measure and try before the workshop finalises the installation.
Cages are available
Separate Metro and R6/100 listings need checking against the exact shell.
Find the fabricator before ordering the seats
We would start with a workshop that already installs seats and restraint systems in rally or track cars. Explain whether this is a road-going Metro, a track-day car or a competition build. Those jobs can need different seats, belts and mounting arrangements.
The fabricator should inspect the floor and existing mounting areas, including any corrosion or previous repairs. They can then plan the base, reinforcement where required, runner position and belt-buckle mounting around the car and driver. A generic drawing cannot establish whether an old bodyshell is sound enough to accept the installation.
Agree the seat model while that design is being worked out. The mounting holes, outer width, recliner mechanism and slider release all affect the result. Have the driver sit in the proposed position before anything is finalised, with a helmet on if the car will be used on track.
Universal sliders provide adjustment between the seat and its support. They do not turn a universal seat into a direct fit for the Metro floor. Side mounts serve a different purpose again: they attach to compatible bucket seats, but still need a suitable structure underneath them.
Five recliners to shortlist for a narrow cabin
For a car that still spends time on the road, these are the reclining seats we would start by measuring. You keep backrest adjustment, and the lower side bolsters are generally easier to get past than those on a competition bucket. On a three-door car, ask the workshop to check rear access as well; reclining adjustment alone does not prove that access will be satisfactory.
We are not calling all five the same size. Check the outer shoulders, base, adjustment mechanism and clearance to the closed door. A seat can have a reasonably narrow cushion and still be too wide higher up.
| Seat | Sold as | Mounting information on our listing |
|---|---|---|
| Sparco R100 | Single seat | Base mount; 345 × 271 mm; seat only |
| Sparco R500 Fabric | Single seat | Base mount; 345 × 271 mm; seat only |
| Corbeau PSR | Pair | Base mount; listing shows 291 × 330 mm and 345 × 271 mm patterns |
| Corbeau Sportline RRS | Pair | Base mount; listing shows 291 × 330 mm and 345 × 271 mm patterns |
| Auto Style Type AK | Single seat | Base mount; sliders included; listed pattern 405 × 280 mm |
These are seat-side catalogue details, not Metro floor measurements. Have the fabricator confirm the exact seat and runner interfaces before making the base. In particular, do not use the two Corbeau pattern entries as a drilling template or assume they describe the underside of an optional runner.
Sparco R100: a straightforward starting point
The R100 is the simple cloth-trimmed option on this shortlist. Its reclining back and base mounting make it a sensible seat to take to the first fitting discussion, particularly if you want something uncomplicated for a road car.
The seat is supplied on its own. Budget for the appropriate runners if you need sliding adjustment, plus the fabricated vehicle base. The lever and side mechanism must remain accessible after installation.
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Sparco R500 Fabric: another road-car option
The R500 Fabric gives you another Sparco recliner to try alongside the R100. Our listing shows a cloth trim and the same 345 × 271 mm seat mounting pattern, but that does not make their shape or installed height identical.
We would choose between them by sitting in both, then checking the preferred seat in the car. Do not have the workshop build around the R100 and assume an R500 will need no further checks.
Corbeau PSR: supplied as a pair
The PSR pair is worth considering when both front seats are being replaced. It is a cloth-trimmed recliner, and the dimension drawing on our listing shows 500 mm across the front of the base, 540 mm across the shoulders and 880 mm overall height before the mounting hardware is added.
Those figures make it useful to compare on paper. They do not include every clearance the mechanism needs, and they do not tell us how much space your Metro has. The linked price is for two seats, not one.
Corbeau Sportline RRS: check its extra height
The Sportline RRS pair is the vinyl-trimmed Corbeau alternative. Its published drawing shows a 490 mm base width and 550 mm shoulder width, but an overall height of 930 mm. That height deserves attention in a small car once the base and runners are underneath it.
It belongs on the comparison list, not on a promise that it will fit. Check helmet clearance, door clearance and rear access before choosing it over the shorter PSR. This listing also supplies a pair.
Auto Style Type AK: sliders are included
The Type AK comes in black vinyl with a choice of stitching colours. Its listing includes sliders, which is useful when working out the parts budget.
You still need the custom Metro base. Ask the fabricator to measure the supplied slider assembly and confirm its mounting interface rather than treating the seat’s listed 405 × 280 mm pattern as the vehicle fixing pattern. Check the outer dimensions in the car before committing to it.
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Three smaller bucket seats for a track or rally build
A fixed-back seat is worth discussing if the car is being prepared mainly for circuit use or competition. Start with the driver’s fit and the event requirements, then check the outside of the seat against the car. The three below are standard-size models, not their larger alternatives.
Sparco Sprint
The standard Sparco Sprint is a steel-frame, velour-trimmed bucket listed with FIA 8855-1999 approval and base or side mounting. Its drawing shows 505 mm across the shoulders, 480 mm across the base and 860 mm overall height. Our listed driver-waist guide is 32–36 inches. This is the standard Sprint, not the wider Sprint L.
OMP TRS-E Velour
The OMP TRS-E Velour FIA seat is another steel-frame option with base or side mounting. Our fit guide places it in the 28–36 inch waist range and under-6-foot height band. However, its drawing shows 585 mm across the shoulders: a close fit for the driver does not necessarily mean the narrowest seat outside. Check that width against the door and any cage.
Cobra Monaco Pro
The Cobra Monaco Pro is the third seat we would put in front of a smaller driver. The listing specifies FIA 8855-1999, base or side mounting, a 32–36 inch waist guide and an under-6-foot height band. Try the seat for shoulder-slot height and cushion support, and have the workshop check the current drawing and physical seat before making its mounts.
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Driver size bands are fitting guides, not guarantees. For competition, confirm the approval and validity of the supplied seat label against your event’s current rules. Selecting an approved seat does not approve a custom mounting installation.
Compare the outside dimensions, not just the waist size
These examples come from the dimension drawings attached to our product pages. They help explain why we want the seat, driver and car checked together. None includes the fabricated base or the extra height from sliding runners.
| Seat | Base width | Shoulder width | Overall height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corbeau PSR | 500 mm | 540 mm | 880 mm |
| Corbeau RRS | 490 mm | 550 mm | 930 mm |
| Sparco Sprint | 480 mm | 505 mm | 860 mm |
| OMP TRS-E | 510 mm | 585 mm | 890 mm |
A cardboard outline can help compare the shoulder width with the available space, but it will not establish the final seating position or belt geometry. Keep room for the handbrake, gear lever, seat controls and door trim, and check the seat through its intended adjustment range. Bring the actual seat to the workshop for the final mock-up.
Harness choices depend on the finished installation
For a road car, start by asking the installer whether the original three-point belt can be retained with correct routing and a suitable buckle mounting. A harness is not automatically a better answer just because the new seat has shoulder openings.
The TRS Clubman Clip In 4 Point is a road-and-track harness to discuss for a compatible installation. It has 2-inch shoulder and lap webbing, and our listing says it is not HANS compatible. It is not the FIA competition option in this comparison. The seat and harness manufacturers must permit the pairing, with suitable anchorage positions and belt routing.
For a competition bucket, the TRS Magnum 6 Point FIA is listed with FIA 8853-2016 approval, clip-in fixings and 3-inch shoulder and lap straps. Its two crotch straps require a seat and mounting layout designed to accommodate them. Do not add a six-point harness to a recliner that has no approved crotch-strap route.
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Our seat and harness compatibility guide is useful background for that discussion. It does not replace the manufacturer’s installation instructions or an assessment of this car.
Roll cages are listed, even though seat brackets are not
There are genuine Metro cage options in our catalogue. The missing part of this seat conversion is the vehicle-specific seat base; it does not mean there are no motorsport components for the car.
Safety Devices N044 for Metro R6 and Rover 100
We list the Safety Devices Metro R6 full cage and the matching rear cage. Safety Devices identifies N044 for the Metro R6 (1990–1995) and Rover 100 (1994–1995), both without a sunroof. Confirm the build details, body configuration and roof with us before ordering. Do not extend that stated coverage to a later Rover 100 or a sunroof shell without confirmation.
Rear-cage choices include versions with a harness bar; the selected configuration matters. A front section must be used with the appropriate rear section. Ask for the full parts specification and installation requirements before treating a starting price as the cost of the finished cage.
Our current N044 product attributes say “Road & Track”, while Safety Devices’ N044 specification states Motorsport UK/FIA homologation. For a competition build, have us confirm the certification for the exact supplied configuration and check it with your preparer or scrutineer. Do not infer eligibility from the website attribute alone.
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Custom Cages Metro kits
We also list a Custom Cages Metro 6-point National Spec CDS kit, a multipoint CDS kit and a multipoint T45 kit. These are routes to discuss with a cage installer, with exact shell coverage and the intended discipline confirmed before ordering.
Custom Cages describes the National kit as a weld-in design for Motorsport UK national requirements, not current FIA international requirements. It is not interchangeable with an FIA-certificated multipoint design.
Earlier Metro N016 listings are separate from the R6/100 N044. Send us the car’s year, body details and photographs if there is any doubt. A cage also changes the space available for the seat, head and shoulders, so plan it before the seat base is finalised.
What to send the fabricator, Garreth or Cameron
A few clear photographs and measurements will get the conversation further than “will this seat fit a Metro?” Send the year and exact model, whether it is a three- or five-door, its sunroof arrangement, and pictures of the existing seats and mounting areas.
- Tell us how the car will be used and which competition rules, if any, the build must meet.
- Include the driver’s height and waist measurement, and whether sliding adjustment or rear access is needed.
- Give the usable space between the tunnel and door, the shoulder-level clearance and the available headroom at the intended driving position.
- List the seat, runner, belt and cage being considered, including part numbers and any equipment already fitted.
- Ask the workshop to agree the mounting and restraint design, required checks and complete installation cost before ordering parts.
We can help compare the seats and supply product information. The fabricator or rally preparation specialist needs to take responsibility for the vehicle-specific design and installation. That is the route we recommend for this Metro enquiry.
Common questions
Do you sell a direct-fit Rover Metro or Rover 100 seat bracket?
Not currently. We cannot supply an off-the-shelf vehicle-specific base from the manufacturers we work with. Arrange a custom installation with a competent fabricator or rally preparation specialist.
Will universal runners let me bolt a Sparco seat straight into the car?
No. Runners provide sliding adjustment; they do not establish compatibility with the Metro floor. The vehicle base and all mounting interfaces still need to be designed and checked.
Are the seats in this guide guaranteed to fit?
No. They are candidates to measure and try. The closed door, tunnel, seat controls, belt routing, cage and finished seating height all affect the result.
Can I use a six-point harness with one of these recliners?
Do not assume so. These recliner listings show four-point compatibility, and a six-point belt needs an approved crotch-strap route. Have the seat and harness pairing confirmed for the intended use.
Does the lack of seat brackets mean there are no roll cages?
No. We list Safety Devices and Custom Cages Metro products. Cage fitment and specification need a separate check against your exact shell and event requirements.
Got a Metro project? Start with the mounting plan.
Speak to a fabricator or rally preparation specialist, then send Garreth or Cameron the car details and seat shortlist. We can help with the product side while your installer confirms the fit and mounting design.
Product listings and dimension drawings checked on 2 October 2026. Product cards show current pricing and options; confirm supply times before booking installation. The PSR and RRS listings above are pairs. Seat measurements quoted here come from the linked product drawings and are not measurements of the Rover’s cabin.
Further reading: our vehicle seat guides, the Safety Devices Rover range, Safety Devices N044 fitment and Custom Cages Rover specifications.