The q is, in addition to my thoughts above, is whether the hinge of the seat is locked and strong enough to withstand the impact. If it is, there is really no real threat from the luggage being thrown forward.

 

Sort of true. It would be a function of velocity and distance over time. The deployment of the airbag would reduce the distance your head was travelling forward and the force of deployment would push your head back into the seat. It's possible that because of the distances involved the suitcase would still be in forward motion at that point - or will be bouncing off of other parts of the interior. I still wouldn't take a chance.

 

Why take the risk? I've seen and had to deal with plenty of racing accidents over the years, anything loose or potentially loose in the cabin is a risk. Ask me about fire extinguishers with plastic retaining straps, or items screwed in with self tappers.

Seats are designed to work in specific circumstances and protecting the occupants from flying objects, even small ones like mobile phones or tissue boxes, is not one of them.

But hey, I've been shot down here before for making this point so caveat emptor.

 

For me the question has become academic. I'm not advocating anything -- just trying to figure out what the actual outcome might be of the physical system we're discussing.

 

The cushions may compress a bit when you load it up, but they’re cushions — that’s what they do. And when you flip the seats back up, they will be fine.

I have loaded mine up with multiple roller bags, big duffle, and more. The back of the car with the seats folded down is a fantastic and useful space.

I used a cheap Harbor Freight moving blanket to protect things and yes, the deviated stitching matched my interior, because that’s how I roll.😉

I drove the car at pandemic autobahn speeds loaded up like this, for thousands of miles, and it was great. Things didn’t shift around, because I know how to pack and secure stuff.

A 911 is a car. Treat it like a car. When you get past treating it like some fragile thing, it’s a lot more fun.

 

To compensate for the weight on top of the platform you could roll up a couple of towels or blankets and put them under the platform to fill the gap to the seat base. This should provide enough support and prevent any pressure marks on the leather. That's what I'd do for something heavy, plus strapping it down as well for safety. Cheers!

 

When we travel, we use the space under the folded seat backs as well as the platform the folded seat backs form. I did the same in my ‘07 997 for 15 years with no deleterious effects to the seat backs or cushions. The gear under the seat backs can help to stabilize the folded seat backs if properly packed in. My camera backpack is small enough to fit snuggly under the folded seat backs. I do try to keep the weight on the platform reasonable, as the gear will move around unless otherwise secured.

The only time I took the Velcro’d seat cushions out was when I transported a load of floor tile 200 miles to my ski house. They came out and went back in easily. The car didn’t ride as well with all the weight, but recovered just fine after unloading.

 

Weight is not an issue, but the suitcases will slide around a lot.
I made some leather straps to hold the cases in place.

 

Great idea, @Detansinn. Looks like 2x 15” x15” x3” (6” total height) foam pads could be placed UNDER the folded seats to prevent additional travel of the seat backs. We just did this over the week end so our dog - @50lb rescue Sheppard / Collie mix could ride more comfortably. It seemed to handle the weight just fine. We also use a furniture pad to cover the area, to prevent unnecessary indentations / scratches in the leather.

 

I have carried large bags although for shorter trips and it’s been absolutely fine. Another testament towards how practical this car actually is.