Nick

My assumption is that sport buckets for the 991 GT3 have not been cleared for US roads. How is it that the 918 seats are allowed for use in the US?

Z356

We don't know yet WHY Porsche did not get certification & ability to homologate a 'sport bucket seat' (w. airbags) in the US for the current MY2012 & 2013 991, MY2013 981 & MY2014 gt3! We don't know if they 'forgot' to make the request for it (unlikely!), or that they are working on an improved 'sport bucket' since the older gt2 type doesn't allow adjustments in height or tilt (the hope of many optimists...yet a gt2 type seat is offered currently in Europe/ROW) or if PCNA deliberately decided NOT to offer it for liability reasons (my theory, explained earlier on this thread). The fact that the seat wiring even on a MY2012 US spec 991 would not accept the US certified & homologated 'gt2 type' sport buckets of a MY2012 US spec Spyder or Cayman R makes me suspect! This would be a seat swap within the same Model Year Porsches, with seat equipment approved for that year by US authorities in both cases!

Re: the 918 Spyder. Remember it is a different model & would involve a different request to DOT/Highway Safety Board by PAG & PCNA. Perhaps the 918 qualifies for special dispensation (loophole) since it may be imported by PCNA as a low production, not-every-day use Supercar! That is how it's believed the Carrera GT seats without airbags were approved for sale in the US.

Saludos,
Eduardo

Nick

Good points!

aussie jimmy

hahaha!

Z356

Unfortunately...that part is very true! Expect the s*** to hit the fan on news of the first fatal injury in the US due to catastrophic failure of a key component on a Porsche involved in recreational track use (not racing). My guess is that it will involve CL failure on a .2 gt3 or .2 gt3 RS! Sadly, this is a real possibility! Hoping Porsche does the right thing and resolves this CL issue (once & for all) to the full satisfaction of its .2 997 customers! And for your sake, Macca, and all other future 991 gt3 owners, I sincerely hope the improvements made on the 991 gt3's CL's make those wheels bullet-proof so you don't have that to worry about during your expected long tenure of ownership!

Saludos,
Eduardo

Macca

Eduardo I hope you are right. Frankly there's more chance of me dying during one of my monthly scuba diving trips or of a tropical disease (I don't actually live in NZ but actually in Vanuatu a small tropical island in the Pacific!). The benefits of your legal system help look after others of us in ROW land too eventually so I should definitely be thankful for that...

stevecolletti

True, because most other countries keep the good stuff and throw away the rest.