The Boxster’s hood is up more often than people admit. It is one of the better soft tops, and the car works on a circuit with the roof in place as well as without. What matters for seat choice is the fixed-height cockpit with the roof up, because that measurement is what decides whether a reclining seat will clear your head. Cameron looks at roof clearance before recommending anything for a convertible. In a 986, that conversation usually starts with the Corbeau RRS Low Base.
The Cobra direct-fit subframe is the one frame route for the 986, and the runner comes with it. One purchase covers the bracket and the rail adjustment, so there is nothing additional to source for the sliding function. The subframe is built around the 291mm x 330mm bolt pattern that all Cobra recliners use. Corbeau recliners are drilled for both the 291mm and the 345mm patterns, which is why they fit the same Cobra subframe without adaption. Every seat in this guide goes on the one frame.
One bracket option for the 986: the Cobra direct-fit subframe. It replaces the factory seat runners and bolts to the car’s original mounting points, so no drilling is needed. The runner is included in the price, which is how Cobra quote their frames. At £255 inc VAT per seat position, that covers the subframe and the sliding adjustment together. Most competitors sell the runner separately, so compare the full cost before deciding a different brand is cheaper.
The subframe is built for the 986 specifically. It sets the base height of the new seat, and the runner preserves front-to-back adjustment once the seat is on. One note before ordering: the belt in a standard 986 is mounted to the seat rail rather than the floor. Once the subframe replaces the rail, the belt anchorage changes position. Check where the buckle ends up relative to the new seat before your first drive.
Part SU-PO-986. £255.00 inc VAT per seat position, runner included. Takes Cobra recliners at the 291mm x 330mm pattern, and Corbeau recliners which are drilled for both 291mm and 345mm. Every seat in this guide fits this subframe.
All five seats in this guide are listed 4 point harness compatible. If you are fitting a harness at the same time, contact us before ordering and we will confirm the combination and mounting for your specific car before anything is dispatched.
Every seat below mounts through a base-mount bolt pattern. Cobra recliners use the 291mm x 330mm pattern. Corbeau recliners are drilled for both 291mm and 345mm. Both fit the Cobra subframe. There is no second frame route on the 986: the Cobra subframe is the only bracket we stock for this car, and all five seats in this guide are confirmed compatible with it. The choice between them comes down to headroom, support and budget rather than which frame to pick.
| Seat | Bolt pattern | Cobra subframe |
|---|---|---|
| Cobra Daytona | 291 x 330 | Fits |
| Corbeau Sportline RRS Low Base | 291 or 345 | Fits |
| Corbeau PSR | 291 or 345 | Fits |
| Cobra Stuttgart Vinyl | 291 x 330 | Fits |
| Cobra Misano Anniversary | 291 x 330 | Fits |
The Daytona is the seat Cameron puts most 986 owners into when they want proper lateral support for track use. The bolsters at the shoulders and hips are deeper than anything else in this guide, which keeps your position through a fast corner without needing to brace against the door. It is also where the Cobra Signature custom order starts: any trim combination from plain black cloth through to two-tone leather, with a heating and lumbar pack available if the car covers winter miles.
One thing to check before ordering: the Daytona sits at 865mm tall. On most 986 drivers that is workable with the roof up, but it is not the lowest seat in this guide. If you have less than 900mm between the seat base and the headlining with the roof closed, measure carefully before committing. The Stuttgart at 800mm or the Corbeau RRS Low Base are the alternatives if clearance is tight.
The RRS Low Base is the seat built around the headroom question. The low base means the seat sits closer to the floor than the standard RRS, which is the measurement that matters when the soft top determines how much room is left above your head. Cameron puts 986 owners with tight clearance in this seat first and checks the result before looking at anything taller. The integrated headrest is part of the seat profile rather than a separate item, so there is no post pushing into the headlining.
It is drilled for both the 291mm and 345mm patterns, so it goes straight onto the Cobra subframe without adaption. It comes as a single seat. Most customers replacing both sides order two and do the whole interior at the same time, which is usually the right move on a car used regularly on circuit.
The PSR is the strongest argument for replacing both seats in one go. Two Corbeau PSRs cost £558 inc VAT. One Cobra Daytona costs £599. If you are doing both sides and want a clean, practical recliner without a premium finish, the pair is difficult to argue against on value alone.
The seat comes in cloth, which suits the 986 interior better than vinyl would anyway. It is drilled for both 291mm and 345mm patterns, so it fits the Cobra subframe without adaption. The backrest has harness slots and is listed 4 point compatible. There is an existing post on the site covering the widest seat that fits in a Porsche 986 if the width question is a concern before ordering.
The Stuttgart is the most compact seat in the Cobra recliner range. At 800mm it is the lowest in this guide, and unlike the Le Mans family, the Stuttgart includes an integrated headrest in that measurement. You get a complete seat at 800mm, not a base measurement to which you then add another 50mm for the headrest. For a 986 where clearance with the roof up is the deciding factor, the Stuttgart is often the Cobra answer once the Daytona has been measured and found too tall.
The vinyl trim is straightforward to keep clean, which matters on a car that goes out in the wet. There are other trim options on the listing if plain vinyl is not what you want. It is a 291mm mount, so it goes directly onto the Cobra subframe.
The Misano Anniversary is Cobra’s top-of-range recliner. The difference from the seats below it shows on a long drive or a full track day rather than in a showroom: the lumbar adjustment holds your position through a sustained session, and at 11.5kg it is a couple of kilograms lighter than the other seats in this guide. For a mid-engine car where weight distribution matters, that is not nothing.
One note on headroom: the Misano sits at 885mm, which is the tallest seat in this guide. If the roof clearance in your 986 is a concern, take the measurement with the roof up before ordering. Cameron usually suggests checking the Daytona position first, since the 20mm difference between the two often settles the question.
The Cobra subframe bolts to the 986’s original floor mounting points without drilling. Torque the floor bolts properly once fitted, then check the seat belt route before you drive. The standard 986 belt is mounted to the seat runner rather than the body, so removing the factory runner changes where the buckle sits. Make sure the belt path works with the new seat before the first trip out.
The runner is included in the Cobra frame price, so the subframe and the sliding adjustment come in one purchase. There is nothing else to source between the floor and the seat base for any of the five seats in this guide.
If you are fitting a harness at the same time, contact us before you order. We will confirm the mounting and the belt path for your specific car before anything is dispatched.
| Your seat | Via Cobra subframe (161694) |
|---|---|
| Cobra Daytona | Runner included, nothing extra |
| Corbeau Sportline RRS Low Base | Runner included, nothing extra |
| Corbeau PSR | Runner included, nothing extra |
| Cobra Stuttgart Vinyl | Runner included, nothing extra |
| Cobra Misano Anniversary | Runner included, nothing extra |
| Seat | Bolt pattern | Waist | Height | Weight | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobra Daytona | 291 x 330 | 32 to 38in | All heights | 13.5kg | £599 each |
| Corbeau RRS Low Base | 291 or 345 | 32 to 38in | All heights | Not published | £498 each |
| Corbeau PSR | 291 or 345 | 32 to 38in | All heights | Not published | £558 a pair |
| Cobra Stuttgart Vinyl | 291 x 330 | 32 to 38in | All heights | 13.2kg | £619 each |
| Cobra Misano Anniversary | 291 x 330 | All sizes | All heights | 11.5kg | £1,649 each |
Prices include VAT and were correct on 16 September 2026. Weights are not published by Corbeau for these models and we will not guess them. Waist and height figures are the manufacturers’ published fitment ranges. If you are on a boundary, contact us before ordering.
No. The Cobra subframe bolts to the original 986 floor mounting points without drilling. Torque the floor bolts properly and check the seat belt route before driving. The standard 986 mounts the belt to the seat runner rather than the floor, so once the runner is replaced by the subframe, check the buckle position with the new seat before the first trip out.
We covered this directly. See Customer question: a Cobra Nogaro in a left-hand drive Boxster 986, and which side to order for the full answer, including the bolt-on parts list for a LHD 986 and why the Driver (R) and Passenger (L) labels work differently in a car where the driver is on the left.
The Low Base has a reduced base height compared to the standard RRS. In practice that means the seat sits lower once fitted, which gives more room between the top of the seat and the headlining. In a convertible where the closed-roof measurement is the critical one, that difference is often what decides whether a seat fits. Cameron's starting point for 986 owners with tight clearance is always the RRS Low Base, not the standard RRS.
Yes. Ring us on 0115 9893488 and we can arrange a single seat if you only need one side. Most 986 owners replacing the seats do both at the same time, which is why the pair is the listed option, but one side is available if that is what you need.
Every seat in this guide is listed by its manufacturer as 4 point harness compatible, with harness slots in the backrest. If you are planning a harness alongside the seat, contact us before ordering and we will confirm the full combination works for your 986 before anything is dispatched. The 986's belt anchorage moves when the factory runner is replaced, so this is worth checking before the harness decision is made.
In most cases the Daytona. It gives you the support, goes on the one frame route without complication, and takes any trim you want. If the roof clearance is the concern, check the Stuttgart at 800mm before the Daytona at 865mm: that 65mm difference usually answers the question. The Corbeau PSR pair is the version of this build that makes the budget conversation easy, and it is the right call when both seats need doing and the numbers matter more than the finish.
If the car has had proper attention and the seats are the last thing to sort, the Misano is worth the price. At 885mm it is the tallest seat in the guide, so take the roof-up clearance measurement before committing. Once it clears, the Misano is a genuinely good seat that will last the life of the car.
Cameron is in the showroom most days. Ring us on 0115 9893488 and he will work through whichever of the five suits the way your car is used.
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