Ask MF: Will The US Get Recaro Seats?

Sections: Ask MotoringFile | JCW Aug 4th, 2008 14 Comments

Here’s a questions we’ve been getting for years here at MF. While the answer hasn’t changed, we thought it might be appropriate the revisit the subject for some of the newer MINI owners. The question comes from Steve M:

Do you know if we will ever get the Recaro seats here in the States?

Unfortunately the problem lies in the US requirement (which started in 2005) for passenger side airbag sensors. The sensors take the place of the on/off switch some markets have that allow small children (or small people) to ride safely in the front seats. Essentially what the sensors do is make the entire question of whether the airbag should be on or off idiot proof.

When Recaro (and Sparco – the manufacturer of the original JCW seats for the R50/R53) designed the seats a few years back, they didn’t take the need for an airbag sensor into consideration and thus it’s simply not in the seats. And while they could create some unique seats for the MINI, the costs associated with doing that would be too high for such a small volume.

Because of this lack of airbag sensors in the passenger seat, the current seats will not be offered in the US market. However it is assumed Recaro will eventually be making seats with the sensor. We just wouldn’t bet on it until the next generation MINI.

[ R56 JCW Recaro Seats Install Guide ] Official MINI PDF

Written By: Gabe

14 Comments

greg Aug 4th, 2008 Link

Too bad. I sat in an Elise this weekend with similar seats. Felt like I had put my hand in a velvet glove. Then I tried to get out and the trouble started…

Ed Aug 4th, 2008 Link

Mitshbishi managed to make them available in the 2008 EVO X for the US market that my son has and they are great. That car rocks and you don’t move anywhere in that seat. Don’t think there are too many of those cars around but maybe the same seat fits several other models.

C4 Aug 4th, 2008 Link

I would love to see a factory MINI being offered with Recaro seats in the US. And not necessarily on a JCW factory model. I would not hesitate to order Recaros if available from the factory on a “Normal” R55 or R56 S.

lavardera Aug 4th, 2008 Link

This is stupid. All I want is a recaro for the drivers side. Screw the passenger side and let the seats come over.

Jon Aug 4th, 2008 Link

Is there any hope of importing the JCW seats from Europe, and retrofitting them, without getting totally ripped off by the poor exchange rate?

Has anyone ever done this to their MINI.

nuvolari Aug 4th, 2008 Link

The R56 JCW seat is the Recaro Sportster CS.

Recaro Sportster CS

It appears you can now purchase one with a “universal” side airbag unit, although I am guessing this would cost you at least one testicle. You can pick one up sans airbag in the US for around $1200, plus mounting hardware. Swapping out the driver’s seat only is not a problem at all, but you will have to add a resistor to the airbag circuit. This is well documented on multiple forums and something I have done myself. (I have a Sparco Evo in my R53 JCW.)

GregW Aug 5th, 2008 Link

I was told that you could now buy JCW sports seats with air bags. Are these the same as Recaros?

kevinn Aug 5th, 2008 Link

This is kind of a B.S. issue. For years the Porsche Euro sport was not available in the US for the same reason. But in 2008 Porsche saw the light and Recaro/Porsche found a way to make it work. Another post talks about how Mitshbishi made it work too.

It’s time for MINI to step up and do the same. Folks will line up to buy the seats for existing cars and others will add them to the upcomming orders.

As another post said, the issue is with the passenger side airbag. Most just want the seat for the driver side. Back to Porsche, you can order just a driver side sport seat and a normal passenger side seat. With the gabillion options available on a Mini this should not be an issue.

In the end it is simple BS. The US is one of the largest (if not the largest) consumers of MINI cars and we get the shaft on great items such as the “real” sport seats.

JP Aug 6th, 2008 Link

um…. i don’t mean to possibly sound dumb… but if i came down to it and it’s just the passenger side… the newR56 seats aren’t bad… but in the end unless you’re rallying or always track with someone else in the car… i don’t think you need the passenger seat… so could one just order the driver’s seat and leave the passenger seat alone so there’s no air bag sensor problem???

nuvolari Aug 6th, 2008 Link

Yes.

lavardera Aug 7th, 2008 Link

I raised the drivers side only idea, and I raised it last time this came up. I’m glad to see others get behind the idea. They can implement this now, case closed.

Aussom Aug 14th, 2008 Link

Hmmmm…. The BMW service reps here in Oz mentioned to me when I had to have the pasnger seat sensor harness replaced that my 2002 MCS has a sensor in the base of the passenger seat – with the two font seats being Recaro brand clad in leather with side airbags.

Am I missing something here? Either this article doesn’t make sense, or the BMW service department isn’t?

Seth Maltzman Aug 15th, 2008 Link

Can anyone tell me where to get decals that go around the arm rest of a 2007 cooper, I saw a black and white Union Jack in a photo and I am very interested. Also, Are there any websites that have decals besides the ones that resemble the standard grille badges?

David Han Oct 9th, 2008 Link

So can the R56 Recaro seats be retrofitted into the R53?

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