The Recaro Pole Position has been one of the most popular seats in the industry for well over a decade. Linking the premium Recaro brand name with a seat suitable for various applications has made the Pole Position a winner. There are two variations of Recaro Pole Position, and we get asked all the time, “What’s the difference between the two?”, so here’s what you need to know.
Recaro Pole Position ABE
The Recaro Pole Position ABE has been designed to be their road-going version of the FIA. So what does this actually mean? Firstly the seat is available with a wider range of trim designs including ambla-leather and alcantara. These are trims Recaro regularly used with their road-going seats. Secondly, and most importantly it’s actually physically wider at the hips.
Both Recaro Pole Position seats share the same footprint into the vehicle and are identical in their height and shoulder positions. However, the ABE version flares out at the hip bones. This feature has been included to make the Pole Position more ergonomic for daily use and road use, while also allowing people with wider hips to fit the seat with more comfort.
Recaro Pole Position FIA
The Recaro Pole Position FIA is only available in their velour trims. This is standard practice from Recaro when it comes to their range of FIA products, as leather is not a suitable material. The FIA seat is also seen as their “standard” size, so, whereas the ABE seat flares at the hips for more comfort, the FIA seat is tighter with more support at the hips. However, this does limit the size of driver we recommend for this seat to someone with a 34-36″ waist.
The Pole Position FIA also comes with their homologated FIA sticker which is shown on the side of the seat. This approves the product for motorsport use. When buying a seat, always ensure to check the date stamped on the homologation, as it should be five years ahead of the current year. So, at the time of writing this article in 2017, a new seat would be dated 2022.
Our driver is sat in the Pole Position ABE seat |
Our driver is sat in the Pole Position FIA seat |
How Tall Should I Be For The Recaro Pole Position?
Now we’ve established the difference between the two seats, it’s also important to ensure that we know what size driver can use the seats. We have these seats on display in our showroom, and from our expert knowledge, we strongly recommend that drivers over 6ft tall with a longer upper body do not use them. This is because the backrest is shorter and the harness slots are placed further down the seat. We’ve calculated that the recommended height & waist of a driver would be 5ft 10″ with a 34″ waist in the Pole Position FIA and 36-38″ waist for the Pole Position ABE.
If you are unsure about how you would fit this seat and you’re looking to buy one, then please do contact us. We’ll be more than happy to book you in for an appointment with our specialist advisers at our showroom. We understand that these seats are not inexpensive, so it’s always best to check before purchase if you’re a taller driver in order to ensure you have the right seats to suit your needs.
 Driver at 5ft 6″ with suitable position |
Driver at 6ft with compromised position |
Time to Check Out!
We’ve outlined the size differences & trim differences, as well as establishing what size driver should use a Recaro Pole Position. There’s now only one thing left to do, head on over to our specialist sport seat website and pick the pair you want!
Whether you’re after the road-going Recaro Pole Position ABE seat or the motorsport-ready Recaro Pole Position FIA seat, you can find them both on our website!
We hope you’ve found this article helpful. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us as we’ll be glad to assist.