1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata: It Helps To Be Slim
October 23, 2012
When it comes to the stock seats in Corvettes and first-gen Miatas, driver width isn't really an issue. That's because the seats are flaccidly bolstered, so the flesh just sort of floats on the top surface of the seat. As a result the stock seats will accomodate a variety of body morphs equally well. Or poorly, if lateral support is something you seek in a seat.
With Project Miata's new seat, the opposite is true. The seat's deep sides place a practical limit on the driver width that will fit comfortably between them. We've got a couple of 34-inch waistlined editors that fit in the new seat... snugly. Anyone larger won't be having it.
On the flip side the support from the new seat is just bonkers -- it holds you the way a mother cradles a baby. There is simply no comparison to any street seat.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
