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GSM Performance Customer Car Colouring Book Edition 1The classic Mini has a roofline that sits lower than almost any other car people bring to us, and that is where seat selection has to start. A taller backrest eats most of what little headroom there is, so height comes first, before price or brand. The factory seats are a flat vinyl shelf that is worn through on most of these cars by now, and they give you none of the lateral support you need once you are driving properly. The fix is choosing a seat that clears the roof before committing to anything else.
We sell one fitting frame system for the classic Mini, from Cobra, in two versions. Which one your car needs is not optional: if the original seats locked to the floor, MOT regulations require the replacement to do the same. That question is the first thing to resolve, and it is a legal one on this chassis.
One manufacturer makes the fitting frame for the classic Mini: Cobra. They produce it in two versions based on the original seat locking mechanism, and the choice between them is fixed by what the car came with rather than what you prefer. If the factory seats locked to the floor, MOT regulations require the replacement seats to sit in the same type of frame. Check the original configuration before ordering.
Both versions bolt to the Mini’s factory floor mounting points with no drilling on a standard floor. The current frames (SUBFR03L/R and SU-MC-NONLOCK) are frame only, with runners sold separately if you want fore and aft adjustment. Without runners the seat mounts directly and sits fixed.
Part SUBFR03L/R, £107.40 inc VAT each. Revised design. For Minis that originally had floor-locking seats. A pair of seats means two in the basket.
Part SU-MC-NONLOCK, £85.00 inc VAT each. For Minis without factory floor-locking seats. A pair of seats means two in the basket.
Every reclining seat we sell bolts down through a base mount pattern. Both Cobra frames are built around the 291mm pattern, and every seat in this guide either carries the native 291mm x 330mm pattern (Cobra seats) or is dual-drilled to include 291mm (Corbeau seats). Nothing here needs an adapter or an alternate route. The choice of locking or non-locking frame changes nothing about which seats are available.
| Seat | Bolt pattern | Cobra locking frame | Cobra non-locking frame |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corbeau SVR | 291 or 345 | Fits | Fits |
| Corbeau PSR | 291 or 345 | Fits | Fits |
| Cobra Daytona | 291 x 330 | Fits | Fits |
| Corbeau Sportsman | 291 or 345 | Fits | Fits |
| Cobra Stuttgart Tartan | 291 x 330 | Fits | Fits |
The SVR is the seat I recommend first on any car where the roofline is tight, and the classic Mini is the tightest of all the cars we regularly fit. Corbeau designed it specifically around headroom, with a lower backrest profile than the standard RRS, and sold as a pair in vinyl it is the most practical answer to the Mini’s particular combination of low roof and worn-out original seats. It is dual-drilled at 291mm and 345mm, so it drops onto either Cobra frame without an adapter or any further thought.
The PSR is the entry-level Corbeau recliner and the cheapest pair in this guide. It comes as a pair, which helps the total cost, and it is dual-drilled for both patterns so there is nothing to work out on the frame side. The shape is flatter than the SVR but it has enough side support to feel like a proper seat rather than the flat vinyl shelf it replaces. Cloth trim breathes better than vinyl in a car with limited ventilation, which covers most classic Minis in most conditions.
The Daytona has noticeably more shoulder and thigh support than either Corbeau in this guide. That difference is what you feel mid-corner, where you are pressing into the seat rather than being held by it. Cobra publish the dimensions: 865mm tall, 580mm wide at the shoulders, 13.5kg. The height is worth checking against your available headroom before ordering. The 291mm x 330mm pattern is native to the Cobra frame, so it fits both frame versions directly, and it is sold individually.
Corbeau designed the Sportsman for classic and vintage cars, and the Rover Mini qualifies. The profile is narrower than the SVR or the PSR, which suits the Mini’s tight cabin, and the trim options across cloth, vinyl and leather let you match the car’s character or improve on what was there. It is dual-drilled for both patterns, so either Cobra frame takes it without an adapter. Sold individually at £468 a seat, which gives more flexibility than a forced pair if you are building a single-seater or a competition car.
The Stuttgart Tartan is made to order, allow four to six weeks from the order date before it ships. Cobra produce it with a tartan trim that suits a period British car as well as anything in this guide. It is also 65mm shorter than the Daytona at 800mm, which matters on a car where every millimetre of headroom counts, and the base is narrower at 520mm. It weighs 13.2kg. If you are building the car around its character rather than just replacing a worn seat, this is the one worth waiting for. The lead time is real, so account for it before committing.
Both Cobra frames bolt to the Mini’s factory seat mounting points, so there is no drilling on a standard floor. Torque the floor bolts properly before driving, and check that the seat belt buckle still reaches after the new seat goes in, since the height change often shifts the buckle position.
The current frames (SUBFR03L/R and SU-MC-NONLOCK) are frame only. You only need runners if you want the seat to move fore and aft. Without them the seat mounts directly to the frame in a fixed position. The older SU-RO-MI listing (product 14481) includes runners in its price if you want an all-in-one option.
| What you want | Frame to order | Add for adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed seat position, locking frame | 2x Cobra locking subframe (252136), £107.40 each | Nothing extra needed |
| Adjustable seat, locking frame | 2x Cobra locking subframe (252136) | 2 Cobra 291 Runners (214851), £117.60 a pair |
| Fixed seat position, non-locking frame | 2x Cobra non-locking subframe (252141), £85.00 each | Nothing extra needed |
| Adjustable seat, non-locking frame | 2x Cobra non-locking subframe (252141) | 2 Cobra 291 Runners (214851), £117.60 a pair |
| Seat | Bolt pattern | Waist | Height | Seat height | Weight | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbeau SVR | 291 or 345 | 32 to 38in | All | Not published | Not published | £1,020 a pair |
| Corbeau PSR | 291 or 345 | 32 to 38in | All | Not published | Not published | £558 a pair |
| Cobra Daytona | 291 x 330 | 32 to 38in | All | 865mm | 13.5kg | £599 each |
| Corbeau Sportsman | 291 or 345 | 32 to 38in | All | Not published | Not published | £468 each |
| Cobra Stuttgart Tartan | 291 x 330 | 32 to 38in | All | 800mm | 13.2kg | £919 each (made to order) |
Prices include VAT and were correct on 18 September 2026. Where figures say not published, the manufacturer does not give them and we will not guess. Waist and height figures are the manufacturers’ published fitment ranges; if you are on a boundary, ask before ordering.
Check what your Mini originally came with. If the factory seats locked to the floor, MOT regulations require the replacement to do the same. The answer is usually in the original specification or the purchase records. If you cannot determine it, tell us the year and spec and we will check with you.
No. The current frames, SUBFR03L/R and SU-MC-NONLOCK, are frame only. You only need runners if you want the seat to adjust fore and aft. Without them the seat mounts directly to the frame in a fixed position. The older SU-RO-MI listing (product 14481) includes runners in its price if you want an all-in-one package.
Corbeau designed the Sportsman for older vehicles and its profile reflects that. On a modern car the PSR or the SVR would be the better fit. On the classic Mini it is exactly the right shape.
Every seat in this guide is listed as 4 point compatible by its manufacturer, with belt slots in the backrest. If you are planning harnesses, tell us when you order and we will confirm the full setup before anything ships.
Cobra makes it after you order, to the trim you specify. Allow four to six weeks from the order date. If you have a fitting booked or a deadline, order with that lead time in mind. Every other seat in this guide ships from our stock.
On a standard road Mini, the Corbeau SVR is where I would start. The headroom constraint on this car is the real problem, and the SVR was built specifically around it. For a tighter budget the PSR covers most of the same ground as a pair for considerably less money.
If the car is a genuine classic that you are keeping close to how it was, the Sportsman fits this guide better than it does most others. It is the right shape for this car and the right choice if the build is about the car rather than the track times. The Daytona is for the driver who wants more grip through the corners and has confirmed there is enough headroom. The Stuttgart Tartan is the long-game choice: the seat height is 65mm lower than the Daytona at 800mm, the tartan trim suits a period British car, and the lead time is real so plan for it.
Whichever combination you are looking at, check the headroom question first. Measure what you have with the frame in place before committing to a seat. If you are not sure how to do that or which frame version your car needs, call us on 0115 9893488.
The five reclining sport seats we rate for the classic Rover Mini, with the Cobra locking and non-locking subframe routes that bolt straight to the factory mounting points.
The five reclining sport seats we rate for the Seat Altea, with the Cobra direct-fit subframe that includes the runner and accepts every Cobra and Corbeau recliner in this guide straight to the factory floor mounting points.
The five reclining sport seats we rate for the Ford Focus Mk2, with the Sparco direct-fit sub-frame that bolts each one straight to the factory floor mounting points.
The five reclining sport seats we rate for the Renault Clio Mk1 RT, with the Cobra direct-fit subframe built for the RT floor, runner included in the price, and the specific fitment question the RT trim level raises.
The five reclining sport seats we rate for the Rover Maestro, with the Cobra Direct Fit Subframes that includes the runner and accepts both 291mm and 405mm seat patterns.
The five reclining sport seats we rate for the BMW Z4 E85 and E86, with the Planted Technology bracket route that fits the full first-generation range including the M Coupe and M Roadster.
