Jon70

I think Eduardo is correct in his reasoning. I don't think we will get sport buckets in any capacity and the 918 seats will remain specifically for the 918 only. Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but from a business standpoint, I don't see why PCNA would offer them.

mike2727

+1, but at the same time I am also hoping he is wrong

Dr.Bill

If I understand the crazy US regulations correctly, for a different seat to be approved, it must be crash tested in each and every model in which it might be offered. Perhaps Porsche figured it would be too expensive to certify the seat for a Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S, etc, etc, etc. That's a lot of model variations to crash!

Although for any car with a "GT" in the name, sport bucket seats should be offered. Unless they are changing the GT to mean Grand Touring.

mike2727

Not sure but I believe if it is tested for the 991, it is valid for every iteration of the 991 series

Mike

Alan Smithee

My understanding is that it doesn't work that way - they do not test every iteration of a model.

Goofnik

Future Boxster Spyder buyer here (guessing 2015 availability at this point...), so I've been tracking the GT3 for a long while on account of sport bucket availability...

1. Dealers don't want cars with Sports Buckets on their lot...
True. Herb Chambers Porsche in Boston couldn't move a perfectly "go fast only" Cayman R for 16 months. Why? Sport buckets. Sadly I didn't find out about the car existing until after it was sold (would've bought it), and it spent most of its time sitting in a warehouse. Cayman R that took 16 months to sell -- that's how much the average Porsche customer doesn't want them.

You know how many Spyders/Rs I found with the adaptive seats? About 4 out of 5.

2. Most customers don't like sports buckets...
True. This is not even a comfort issue in as much as it is an ingress/egress issue. I'm basically Richard Hammond, and the reality is to get out of a car I need to scoot up and pivot to get out of a car with sport buckets because of the hip bolsters. I'm fine with it, because those hip bolsters are what keeps me in place, but the average person finds it inelegant at best and incredibly annoying most of the time.

Hell, go to your local dealer and look for cars with Sports Seats Plus. Last time I made a trip, 1 out of 17 sports cars (911s and Boxsters) had them. The rest were stock or adaptives. We're just talking about better shoulder support and slightly bigger squabs here, and even that is a rare sighting at a dealership.

It's going to be a game of wait and see. However, I've a gut feeling that there's going to be a lot of waiting, and no seeing. I'm getting a whiff of "3 series" about this, by which I mean Porsche is catering to a broadening market demand instead of to its hardcore enthusiasts.

I hate to say it, but even Porsche has admitted as much that "status" is an important aspect of the 911, and there's a chance it'll turn into more of a GT car over the years. Or it could be a case with the current-gen MX-5 where Mazda realized they went in the wrong direction and then reverses course. There are people who buy 911s to say they have a 911. My friend is a perfect example... he bought a used 996... Carrera 4... Cabrio... navy blue... with a tan interior... blue top... and a Tiptronic. But hey, he can say he has a 911. =P

GuyR

As per the post above what speaks volumes was what was the biggest selling individual model in the 911 range globally for many years (whilst available of course) - C4 Cabrio Automatic....

f4 plt

I agree most people do not like the "in and out" process required with sport bucket seats. I'm not one of them. I have them in the Spyder and I'm in the process of removing the Adaptive Sport seats in my C2S and installing Sport Bucket seats. My wife and I are both over 70 and I have numerous discs missing in my spine and sport bucket seats provide the best support for my back. As far as getting in, I just drop in and to get out I press down with my left hand on the door sill and lift myself over the seat bolster. To make it easier for my wife I had a custom cushion made that duplicates the factory seat cushion and allows her to sit higher in the seat so it is easier for her to get in and out. She just moves the cushion to the car we are using. The lack of sport bucket seats is one of the prime reasons I'm keeping my 997 and not getting a 991 GT3.

Jon70

I think that it is likely you could install the sport buckets in the GT3 without difficulty as long as you find a dealer to reset the airbag light that will light up once the stock seats are removed. I doubt the harnesses are different from the 997 to the 991 since the seats between the two models haven't changed.

mdrums

So if there are these "crazy US regulations" I still say Porsche dropped the ball, screwed up, doesn't care about it's most sport orientated customer when Porsche didn't do it's homework and get the proper Sport Bucket seats approved for sale int he USA. Corvette did!

mike2727

+1 they could / should have certified them when the 991 C2 came out

Mike

mdrums

Just got a call from my dealer who is at the Sebring race and he got to spend some time with some Porsche people talking about the 991 GT3. He brought up the seat issue and they said they are aware of this issue but the new Sport Seats for the 991 being sold elsewhere in the world have different air bags and electronics and Porsche did not get them certified for the USA market.

The USA sport bucket seats will be available for the USA after the 918 is delivered as those seats, bags, electronics wil be certified for the USA. This will be available for 2015 991 models.

Also I was told that PCCB rotors and calipers for the 991GT3 are different and from the 918 and are better suited for track use.

mike2727

Thanks for the info, at least there is light at the end of the tunnel, not sure if I am willing to wait an extra year, in order to get it as an option for the GT3

Mike

Jon70

Great news on the seats. I'll consider buying the 2015 GT3.

curtsm

We'll definitely get one if they offer sport bucket seats!

- curt