BMW vs Recaro

[speedo]

I walked by a 5 series BMW the other day and noticed an unlabled pair of seats in light tan leather that looked to be very close to early Recaro sport seats. Bolsters looked correct, head rests dead on and low back to boot. The car was likely a mid 80-s car. Did Recaro make seats for BMW? The seats looked to be original to the car, but I'm no expert. Anyone have any idea? I should have had a camera...but no luck. I would have no problem installing a pair of these in an early car.

Speedo

[PJenkins]

My brother has got a CSL and installed in it are real Recaro race buckets with headrests. I am assuming they are original? Now, that I think about it, I have never taken a closer look at the sliders to see if the match those from a Porsche. They look great and I often threaten to steal them!

Hell, Porsche even used BMW parts on their race cars, the lights used to illuminate the numbers on the doors.

Peter

[SWBS]

Did they look like this?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...DSCN0015-1.jpg

BMW used this "Sport Seat" for several years in the 80's/early 90's. They are as comfortable and supportive as they look. Perhaps not impossible to fit into an early 911, but I do think that it would be challenging. They came in two flavors; electrically controlled or spring assisted mechanical. the mechanical version is quite a neat piece of engineering, but probably not appropriate for
a 911.

Jim

[LongRanger]

. . . Did Recaro make seats for BMW . . . Speedo

Yes, the 'sports seats' fitted to BMWs through the early 90s (e30 and e34 models) were supplied by Recaro. In the 3-series (e30), these seats are manually adjustable for height, rake, and seat-back angle, as well as fore-aft, with leather or vinyl upholstery in the US.


The one pictured is in my '91 318iS --- very comfortable and durable.

Rick Kreiskott

[70tangerine]

BMW actually did offer an almost identical seat to the early 911 sport option...it was avail in the early 2002 model at the least...but it was very very rare.

A more common bmw oe sport seat was first seen in the late 70s, and common in the 320i ( e 21)cars in the US....here is one re upholstered...



The pic previously seen on this thread of the sport seat of the e30 ( 318is 325is..etc) was a newer version but quite different., and not as appropriate for an early car....

perhaps you saw a Recaro aftermarket seat in this car?...you say low back?...they dont sound oe to me....

[GTS]

Hi All,
well the Ideal Standard was an option in the BMW 2002 and the coupes had these seats as well with the little lever on top to release them.
Ford in Germany had them in their 15M,17M and Capri's and it was an option in the early Scirooco's and GTS's.
I believe BMW drivers tended more towards the Scheel seats when they became available but in the early days of BMW it was Recaro.

[SWBS]

Hi All,
well the Ideal Standard was an option in the BMW 2002

Perhaps in Germany. I've been BMW'ing since 1970 and 'aint ever seen any of those seats optioned in the US. I only wish...

Jim

[Bullethead]

I've owned several '60s BMWs and all were equipped with Recaros, except a '63 700S which had Ideal seats as in the 1800TiSa. As to Scheels, they are considerably lighter than Recaro sport seats, so no question as to why they're sometimes seen in Porsches. The Recaros that Joel mentioned were standard on the early 320iS and even sport a logo at the shoulder... these are marked 3/77: