Front Seat
7201 - Front Seat
The seats of the Boxster/S (987) are subject to special requirements in terms of driving behavior and size. More stringent requirements also apply with regard to safety aspects and lightweight design.
In order to meet these requirements without compromise, the seats have been redesigned with the following aims:.
- Considerable improvement in comfort on short and long trips
- Improvement of lateral support
- Greater headroom
- Consistent implementation of light weight construction techniques
- Possibility of installing child seats offered in the Tequipment program
- Further increase in passenger protection via the integration of additional thorax airbags and higher backrests with improved headrests
Comfort
Seat characteristics - short trips
It is a fact that the average body size across the world is getting bigger. To take account of this fact the front seats have been designed for larger people, particularly in relation to the width of the shoulder area and the seat cushions. This has been done using a slimmer seat frame with the same outer contour. The interior seat dimensions have increased as a result. This has enabled the foam thickness in the seats to be increased by approx. 20% in comparison to the predecessor.
Seat characteristics - long trips
In order prevent fatigue while driving, it is important to absorb shocks resulting from uneven road surfaces and for the seat to support the body in the correct manner. Following extensive testing of damping behaviour in the vehicle, Porsche has developed a patented damping/vibration system for its seats.
Lateral Support
Lateral support for occupants is especially important, particularly with high lateral acceleration. When good lateral support applies, the driver and passenger are stabilized by the seat. This means that no additional support is required in fast turns, for example. This is a prerequisite for precision control in extreme driving situations. Lateral support in the new generation of seats is improved by the higher side pieces. The side piece cushions are further reinforced by the contour of the frame. The lateral support offered by the sports seats is 50 % greater than that offered by the standard seats. The adaptive sports seats also offer a facility for individually adjusting the side bolsters of the seat cushion and the backrest to the respective driver. This enables even better body support than is possible with conventional sports seats.
Space Ergonomics for the Driver
The aim with any sports car is to have as low a sitting position as possible in the vehicle. The advantages are enhanced driving dynamics resulting from a lower overall center of gravity and a more pleasant perception of acceleration.
For the driver the more forward positioning of the pedals in conjunction with improved longitudinal seat adjustment means a more comfortable seated position. The result is increased headroom, particularly for people with a long upper body.
Light-weight Construction
The overall weight of the vehicle has a direct influence on performance and fuel economy. The consistent use of light-weight construction techniques in the new seat system has facilitated a reduction in weight despite the higher strength requirements. As a result, the new seat system is considerably lighter than a predecessor seat equipped with comparable functions.