The Definitive Guide to Cobra Monaco Seats: Every Variation and Trim Explained
Cobra Monaco buying guide
The Cobra Monaco is one of the most popular bucket seats we sell, and it comes in more versions than almost anything else in the range. Some are FIA approved and some are not, there are narrow and wide shells, and there are several special trims on top. It is easy to end up comparing two seats that look identical and are not.
This guide goes through every Monaco we list: the sizes, which ones carry FIA approval, what each edition adds, and how the seat mounts in the car. If you are still unsure after reading it, send us your waist size and what the car is for.
- Three shell sizes: standard, Narrow (28 to 32 inch waist) and GT (36 to 38 inch waist)
- FIA 8855-1999 versions: the Monaco Pro and its editions (M-Sport, 40th, Premium, Vinyl, Houndstooth)
- Road and Track only: the Monaco Sport, Sport Narrow and Sport GT
- Fully steel plated shell, 11.4 kg, slots for a 4 or 6 point harness
- Base mount or side mount, your choice
- Cobra's narrow base pattern means Cobra runners and frames, not other brands'
What is on this page
Monaco sizes
Every Monaco is built on one of three shells. The standard shell suits drivers under 6ft with a 32 to 36 inch waist, and it is what all the editions below use unless we say otherwise. The Narrow shell is cut for a 28 to 32 inch waist, genuinely narrower through the hips and sides, so it suits smaller drivers, many women and juniors moving up from karting, and cars with a tight gap between the door card and the tunnel. The GT is the wide one, for a 36 to 38 inch waist: it adds 20 mm to the internal seating area over the standard shell, which is the difference between bolsters that hold your hips and bolsters that press on them.
All three share the same construction. The shell is fully steel plated, with a solid back and base, which Cobra do for intrusion protection. That makes the Monaco heavier than a fibreglass bucket, at 11.4 kg, but it is also why the seat has such a following for road and club cars.
| Monaco | Shell | Waist | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monaco Pro | Standard | 32 to 36 in | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Monaco M-Sport Edition | Standard | 32 to 36 in | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Monaco 40th Edition | Standard | 32 to 36 in | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Monaco Premium Edition | Standard | 32 to 36 in | FIA 8855-1999 |
| Monaco Sport | Standard | 32 to 36 in | Road and Track |
| Monaco Sport Narrow | Narrow | 28 to 32 in | Road and Track |
| Monaco Sport GT | GT | 36 to 38 in | Road and Track |
Monaco Pro or Monaco Sport?
Monaco Pro. The original Monaco, and the benchmark for the rest. It is homologated to FIA 8855-1999, it has an integral head pad and shoulder support, spacer fabric trim that lets air move against your back, and slots for a 4 or 6 point harness. If the seat will be checked by a scrutineer, the Pro or one of its editions is the one you need.
Monaco Sport. The same Monaco shape and construction, Road and Track approved but without FIA homologation, so it does not carry the homologation label on the side. It is the sensible buy for track days and fast road use, where nobody inspects the seat. The easy way to remember it: the Pro is for motorsport, the Sport is for road and track days.
Monaco Sport Narrow and Sport GT. The Sport in the narrow and wide shells. Both are Road and Track approved, not FIA. If you need the narrow or wide fit with FIA approval, ask us before ordering.
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The FIA editions and trims
M-Sport Edition. The least expensive FIA Monaco, and the one with the most trim choices: spacer fabric, velour, leather, vinyl and nylon, in several colours.
40th Edition. Cobra's anniversary trim on the FIA Monaco: vinyl with a choice of stitching colours, so the seat can be matched to the car. There is also a tartan version and a houndstooth version.
Premium Edition. The FIA Monaco in vinyl with a contrasting colour band, in blue, grey, red, yellow or orange, and Cobra Motorsport logos.
Monaco Pro Vinyl. The Pro in vinyl. It wipes clean and does not hold damp, which suits off road cars, vans and anything used in wet overalls; the fabric Pro is cooler in a hot cabin.
40th Houndstooth Edition. Houndstooth centre panels on the FIA 40th Edition. It looks right in a car from the sixties or seventies, and bold in a modern one. The seat underneath is the standard 40th.
In every case the edition changes the trim, not the seat. The shell, the steel construction, the fit and the approval stay the same, so choose the Monaco by size and approval first, then pick the look.
How the Monaco mounts
The Monaco can be base mounted or side mounted, which is unusual for an FIA seat and means you are not committed to one route when you buy. Side mounting puts you lower; base mounting is simpler and works with a direct fit frame.
The base bolt pattern is narrow: around 291 mm side to side and 330 mm front to back. That is much narrower than Sparco, OMP or Recaro base patterns, so their runners will not fit the Monaco base. Use Cobra's own frames, which include the sliding runner in the price.
If you do not need a runner, you can side mount the seat on a pair of side mounts to suit your car. Endurance Motorsport steel M8 side mounts, a favourite of ours, fit seats with the standard 290 mm side hole spacing, which includes the Monaco. Garreth’s advice is to tell us the car and the seat together, and we will put the frame, runners or side mounts on the same order. Our guide to seat bolt patterns explains how the Cobra pattern compares with other brands, and our customer question on fitting MX-5 side mounts to a Monaco Pro shows a real example.
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Monaco installs on YouTube
We like finding owners who have filmed their own installs. These three show Cobra bucket seats going into different cars: GCM’s Mk2 Focus ST with Cobra seats, subframes, sliders and harnesses; Bee’s Speedshop fitting a bucket seat and 6 point harness to an MX-5; and Lee Lockwood fitting bucket seats without buying seat rails.
Which Cobra Monaco seats are FIA approved?
The Monaco Pro and its editions: M-Sport, 40th, Premium, Pro Vinyl and 40th Houndstooth, all FIA 8855-1999.
Is the Cobra Monaco Sport FIA approved?
No. The Sport, Sport Narrow and Sport GT are Road and Track approved, for track days and fast road use.
What waist size does the Cobra Monaco suit?
The standard shell suits 32 to 36 inches, the Narrow 28 to 32 inches and the GT 36 to 38 inches.
Can I use Sparco runners on a Cobra Monaco?
No. The Monaco base pattern is too narrow for Sparco, OMP or Recaro runners; use Cobra’s frames and runners.
Can the Cobra Monaco be side mounted?
Yes. Every Monaco can be base mounted or side mounted.
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Our pickMonaco Pro, or the M-Sport on a budget
Pick the shell by waist size, the approval by use, then the trim.
Need a personal recommendation?
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