Comprehensive Guide to Choosing Aftermarket Seats for Your Fiat Abarth 500
The Fiat Abarth 500, with its compact yet sporty design, offers a fun and engaging driving experience. Upgrading the seats in your Abarth can significantly enhance both comfort and performance. Here’s a detailed guide on what seats fit well, the necessary brackets, and installation tips based on community and expert insights.
Seat Options for Your Fiat Abarth 500
Choosing the right aftermarket seat involves finding a balance between comfort, support, and fitment within the compact interior of the Abarth 500. Here are some popular options including a narrow fit sports recliner and a range of fixed back bucket seats.
Sparco R100 Sports Recliner
The Sparco R100 seat is a versatile and affordable option for Abarth owners. It offers a good balance of comfort and support with medium bolsters, making it suitable for both daily driving and spirited driving sessions. The Sparco R100 is lightweight and provides excellent ergonomics, ensuring reduced driver fatigue over long journeys. It is available in fabric and vinyl finishes, offering durability and easy maintenance.
Benefits:
- Affordable and high-quality construction
- Lightweight design for improved vehicle performance
- Medium bolsters offer a balance between comfort and support
- Available in fabric and vinyl for easy cleaning
- From £225.00 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Recaro Pole Position
Known for its high quality and ergonomic design, the Recaro Pole Position seat provides excellent lateral support and comfort. It is ideal for track use due to its rigid shell and compatibility with multi-point harnesses. This seat is also available in various finishes, including fabric and leather, to match your interior style. The Recaro Pole Position is renowned for its durability and is a favorite among racing enthusiasts for its superior build quality.
Benefits:
- High lateral support and ergonomic design
- Rigid shell suitable for track use
- Compatible with multi-point harnesses for enhanced safety
- Available in fabric and leather to match interior preferences
- Durable construction that withstands rigorous use
- From £235.00 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Cobra Monaco Pro
The Cobra Monaco Pro is a durable steel-frame racing seat that offers robust support and comfort. It is available in both fabric and vinyl options and is well-suited for high-performance driving. Its high side bolsters and integrated headrest ensure the driver remains securely in place during aggressive maneuvers. The Monaco Pro is also known for its straightforward installation and compatibility with a variety of harnesses.
Benefits:
- Robust steel-frame construction for durability
- High side bolsters and integrated headrest for superior support
- Suitable for high-performance and aggressive driving
- Available in fabric and vinyl for customization
- Easy installation and compatibility with various harnesses
OMP TRS-E
The OMP TRS-E seat is a practical choice for those seeking a blend of performance and comfort. This seat features a tubular steel frame and is available in fabric and vinyl. It provides good lateral support with its medium-height bolsters and is compatible with 4-point harnesses, making it suitable for both street and track use. The OMP TRS-E is designed for ease of entry and exit, making it a versatile option for everyday driving and competitive events.
Benefits:
- Practical and versatile with a blend of comfort and performance
- Tubular steel frame for strength and durability
- Medium-height bolsters for good lateral support
- Compatible with 4-point harnesses for enhanced safety
- Available in fabric and vinyl for ease of maintenance
- Designed for ease of entry and exit
Auto Style Type BS5
The Auto Style Type BS5 is designed to offer a blend of comfort and sporty aesthetics. This seat is available in fabric providing durability and ease of maintenance. It features medium-height bolsters that offer good lateral support without being too restrictive, making it suitable for both daily driving and occasional track use. The BS5’s design focuses on ergonomics to reduce driver fatigue and improve driving comfort for the smaller framed driver.
Benefits:
- Comfortable design with sporty aesthetics
- Medium-height bolsters for lateral support
- Provides support for drivers 28″-34″ waist.
- Suitable for daily driving and occasional track use
Our Recommended Fitting Brackets
We highly recommend using the Sparco and Planted Technology fitting kits, paired with Sparco seat sliders for optimal performance and ease of installation.
Sparco Fiat 500 Fitting Kit
The Sparco fitting kit is specifically designed to utilize the factory seat mounts in your Fiat Abarth 500, providing a straightforward and secure installation process. These seat bases are constructed from 3/16″ thick steel, ensuring a robust and flex-free mount. The Sparco Fiat 500 seat base offers a flat surface for mounting your Sparco seats, making it an ideal choice for those looking to upgrade their vehicle’s seating with minimal hassle.
Benefits:
- Vehicle-Specific Design: Ensures a perfect fit using factory seat mounts.
- Durable Construction: Made from 3/16″ thick steel for a strong and reliable base.
- Easy Installation: Provides a flat surface for straightforward seat mounting.
Planted Technology Fiat 500 Fitting Kit
Planted Technology offers a versatile fitting kit designed to accommodate a wide range of aftermarket seats, including Sparco, Bride, Cobra, Corbeau, and more. These brackets are laser-cut from 3/16″ thick steel and finished with a durable black powder coat. The Planted seat brackets are engineered to provide a secure fit, accepting sliders from most major seat manufacturers, which ensures compatibility and ease of installation.
Benefits:
- High Compatibility: Supports a variety of seat brands including Sparco, Bride, Cobra, Corbeau, and more.
- Superior Strength: Made from 3/16″ thick steel for enhanced durability and safety.
- Flexible Installation: Accepts sliders from major seat manufacturers for a customizable fit.
Sparco Seat Sliders
To complement these fitting kits, we recommend using Sparco seat sliders. Sparco seat sliders are known for their durability and smooth operation, providing easy forward and backward adjustment for optimal seating position. These double-locking sliders ensure that your seat remains securely in place during all driving conditions.
Benefits:
- Smooth Adjustment: Allows for easy forward and backward movement to find the perfect driving position.
- Double-Locking Mechanism: Ensures the seat stays securely in place.
- Compatibility: Designed to fit all Sparco bottom-mount seats and work seamlessly with Sparco and Planted fitting kits.
- From £185.50 Excl. VAT Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Drivers Installing The OMP TRS (Legend)
We love finding drivers that have fitted bucket seats in each car we are looking at when creating our blogs. In this video we can see the driver installs the OMP Legend. The OMP Legend is a variation of the OMP TRS-E. Basically the same seat with a different trim.
This driver uses the Motorsport base plate from OMP and adapts this with the base mount seat sliders. This is certainly one option, but we would recommend the Sparco base plate and the Planted Technology base plates to allow for easier fitment with the seat belt mechanism.
Have a watch and feel free to contact us with any further questions about Fiat Abarth 500 seat installations.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right seat for your Fiat Abarth 500 is essential for maximizing comfort, safety, and driving pleasure. The compact size of the Abarth means that the seat choice must be carefully considered to ensure it fits well within the available space. Additionally, the seat should match your body shape and size to provide the necessary support during both daily commutes and spirited driving sessions.
To find the perfect fit, we highly recommend booking an appointment to visit our showroom and try out the seats in person. This hands-on approach allows you to assess each seat’s comfort and suitability, ensuring you make an informed decision. We’ll be ready to assist you in selecting and installing the ideal seat for your Abarth. Contact us today to schedule your appointment and elevate your driving experience!