Interesting quote from C&D re: seat testing relevant to lack of Euro-seats on US M3s

rmmcdaniel · 09-22-2008, 09:07 PM

Hope this isn't a repost but I was just reading the preview article on the new ZR1 in the Oct. 2008 issue of Car and Driver and noticed an interesting pulled quote: "Fleet Seats - A valet key a la the original ZR1 was considered and rejected. So were sportier buckets, which would have required expensive new crash tests...".

I know it has been discussed ad nauseam on this forum and Larry Koch provided similar reasoning (even if it was only implied via his US vs Euro seat airbag sensor answer) as to why US-spec M3s don't have the Euro seats but figured I would throw this up as more validation on why the US cars don't have them (unfortunately).

Side note - I have been chuckling as I read media reviews of the new ZR1 (which I think is a pretty sweet ride!). Almost every one of them has commented on how the ZR1 should have been given new/different/custom seats to differentiate it from the regular Corvette. Reminds me of those of us on this forum complaining about the regular 3'er sport seats we get!!

watrob · 09-22-2008, 10:22 PM

Hi, I have always noticed the seats you get in the USA are always different to ours in Australia. Did not know you were all complaining about them though?

Also our airbags have a different rating of speed to go off than yours, I think your airbags go off at a lower speed to ours?

JAJ · 09-22-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmmcdaniel

Reminds me of those of us on this forum complaining about the regular 3'er sport seats we get!!

Eh? (that's Canadian for "whut?") My car has seats with big electric-adjustable side bolsters. They're awesome - they hold better with factory belts than the BMW "sport" seats do with four-point belts. Are you saying US cars don't get these seats? I feel so privileged...

watrob · 09-23-2008, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAJ

Eh? (that's Canadian for "whut?") My car has seats with big electric-adjustable side bolsters. They're awesome - they hold better with factory belts than the BMW "sport" seats do with four-point belts. Are you saying US cars don't get these seats? I feel so privileged...

I think the States wish they got the european seats as we do in Australia and am not sure what you get in Canada?

Deda · 09-23-2008, 01:56 AM

i think it should be same for all.

UltimateBMW · 09-23-2008, 09:44 AM

I sat in a e93 M3 this past weekend that had the euro seat bottums in it.

Not sure if the e93's come with them or not, but the one i sat in definately had them.

rmmcdaniel · 09-23-2008, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UltimateBMW

I sat in a e93 M3 this past weekend that had the euro seat bottums in it.

Not sure if the e93's come with them or not, but the one i sat in definately had them.

E93 seats have been much discussed. They are actually a third set that are used on both Euro and US E93s, but are not quite the same as the Euro E90/92 seats bottoms. There are threads with pics of all three sets (E90/92 Euro, E90/92 US, and E93 Euro/US) if you search.

TheBry · 09-23-2008, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmmcdaniel

E93 seats have been much discussed. They are actually a third set that are used on both Euro and US E93s, but are not quite the same as the Euro E90/92 seats bottoms. There are threads with pics of all three sets (E90/92 Euro, E90/92 US, and E93 Euro/US) if you search.

Hmmm... I own an E93 M3 and thought the seat bottoms were identical to the ones offered in Europe (the side bolsters are higher and more angular, and the seat features the leather fold which is missing from US-spec E90 / E92 M3s). So there's a third variant on the seat bottom?

booforty · 09-23-2008, 02:56 PM

Didn't realise our seats were different to yours

lizak187 · 09-23-2008, 03:16 PM

i didnt notice the difference either

skierman64 · 09-23-2008, 09:58 PM

I complained about the lack of euro seat bottoms before I took delivery of my car, however after having the car 5 months, 6000 miles and 3 track days I don't miss them at all. These are the best, most comfortable, body hugging seats I've ever had in a car. I've experienced no need for the Euro seat bottoms, even on the track.

JIO · 09-23-2008, 10:26 PM

We Americans have big butts from sitting around watching TV and playing video games. We need flat, wide seats with less side bolsters so we get the "US Special" seats.

Actually our seats are different because as someone said, our airbags aren't as powerful as the rest of the world airbags. When Americans got into an accident and broke a fingernail from the airbag, they sued (no surprise to me). After all the lawsuits, they figured out to tone down the airbag speed to make sure in an accident the occupant would die and thus not sue. Hence, different seats.

booforty · 09-24-2008, 09:36 AM

^^ lol!

09-22-2008, 09:07 PM	#1
rmmcdaniel Second Lieutenant 7 Rep 247 Posts Drives: '09 E90 M3 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chicago & SF iTrader: (0)	Interesting quote from C&D re: seat testing relevant to lack of Euro-seats on US M3s Hope this isn't a repost but I was just reading the preview article on the new ZR1 in the Oct. 2008 issue of Car and Driver and noticed an interesting pulled quote: "Fleet Seats - A valet key a la the original ZR1 was considered and rejected. So were sportier buckets, which would have required expensive new crash tests...". I know it has been discussed ad nauseam on this forum and Larry Koch provided similar reasoning (even if it was only implied via his US vs Euro seat airbag sensor answer) as to why US-spec M3s don't have the Euro seats but figured I would throw this up as more validation on why the US cars don't have them (unfortunately). Side note - I have been chuckling as I read media reviews of the new ZR1 (which I think is a pretty sweet ride!). Almost every one of them has commented on how the ZR1 should have been given new/different/custom seats to differentiate it from the regular Corvette. Reminds me of those of us on this forum complaining about the regular 3'er sport seats we get!! __________________ 2009 E90 M3 - Silverstone/Fox Red - M-DCT, CW, PP, TP, 19", Moonroof, Sunshades, PDC, Enhanced Prem Sound, HD Radio, Sat, iPod, Smartphone Integration
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09-22-2008, 10:22 PM	#2
watrob Lieutenant Colonel 140 Rep 1,597 Posts Drives: MY2022 X5 M-Sport 45e White Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Brisbane - Australia iTrader: (0) Garage List 2021 Toyota Yaris Z ... [0.00] 2022 BMW X5 G05 e45 [0.00] 2015 Ferrari Cali T [0.00]	Hi, I have always noticed the seats you get in the USA are always different to ours in Australia. Did not know you were all complaining about them though? Also our airbags have a different rating of speed to go off than yours, I think your airbags go off at a lower speed to ours? __________________ MY22 X5 M-Sport 45e White, 22"rims, Red Calipers, Ceramic Pads. Better off saying what it does not have and that's a B&O Audio System, otherwise all option boxes are ticked. Last edited by watrob; 09-23-2008 at 12:00 AM..
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09-23-2008, 01:56 AM	#5
Deda Major General 563 Rep 7,034 Posts Drives: BMW M5 comp Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Croatia iTrader: (0)	i think it should be same for all.
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09-23-2008, 09:44 AM	#6
UltimateBMW Brigadier General 399 Rep 3,288 Posts Drives: MP4 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: South iTrader: (0)	I sat in a e93 M3 this past weekend that had the euro seat bottums in it. Not sure if the e93's come with them or not, but the one i sat in definately had them. __________________
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09-23-2008, 02:56 PM	#9
booforty Major General 337 Rep 8,811 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 E92 M3 [0.00]	Didn't realise our seats were different to yours
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09-23-2008, 03:16 PM	#10
lizak187 Lizak187 24 Rep 505 Posts Drives: 2004 bmw 325ci/2008m3 coup Join Date: May 2008 Location: Boston Massachusetts iTrader: (0)	i didnt notice the difference either
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09-23-2008, 09:58 PM	#11
skierman64 Brigadier General 125 Rep 3,071 Posts Drives: E92M3-E46M3-E46Wagon-E89Z4-E36 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Greater St Louis Metro area iTrader: (1) Garage List 1994 325is Race Car [0.00] 2011 BMW Z4 [0.00] 1998 M3 Coupe [0.00] 2008 M3 Coupe [0.00]	I complained about the lack of euro seat bottoms before I took delivery of my car, however after having the car 5 months, 6000 miles and 3 track days I don't miss them at all. These are the best, most comfortable, body hugging seats I've ever had in a car. I've experienced no need for the Euro seat bottoms, even on the track. __________________ Invest Wisely...The best mod for your money?? BMWCCA high performance driver's school. The mod that lasts a lifetime and improves the performance of any car you drive[/LEFT]
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09-23-2008, 10:26 PM	#12
JIO Captain 48 Rep 636 Posts Drives: '09 Space Gray E92 M3 w/DCT Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Eugene, Oregon iTrader: (0)	We Americans have big butts from sitting around watching TV and playing video games. We need flat, wide seats with less side bolsters so we get the "US Special" seats. Actually our seats are different because as someone said, our airbags aren't as powerful as the rest of the world airbags. When Americans got into an accident and broke a fingernail from the airbag, they sued (no surprise to me). After all the lawsuits, they figured out to tone down the airbag speed to make sure in an accident the occupant would die and thus not sue. Hence, different seats.
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09-24-2008, 09:36 AM	#13
booforty Major General 337 Rep 8,811 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, UK iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 E92 M3 [0.00]	^^ lol!
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