Porsche showcases 3D-printed seats for its 911 and 718 models
Using technology derived from motorsport, Porsche has designed seats that will be partly 3D-printed. This allows the seat to be customised to the driver's dimensions while also being lighter and stronger. The seats will enter the prototype stage in May 2020 where customers will be able to spec it for their 911 and 718 cars, only for use on racetracks around Europe though.
Porsche’s sportscars have been renowned for their fantastic driving position and handling dynamics for years now. With a rich racing history, the company is working toward making that experience even better. Their latest innovation is 3D-printed construction for the seats, that allow the seat to be custom fit to the driver’s dimensions, to make it perfectly snug and bespoke. The seat will be lighter, more comfortable and will allow for passive climate control.
Michael Steiner, Executive Board Member for Research and Development, Porsche says “With the ‘3D-printed bodyform full-bucket seat’, we’re once again giving series-production customers the opportunity to experience technology carried over from motorsports.”
The concept is based on the standard bucket seats from Porsche but it gets a base support layer made from EPP or expanded polypropylene, and is bonded to a mix of polyurethane based materials, using 3D-printing. The outer layer of the seat is made from a material called Racetex and allows for partial climate control. Yes, that is a whole lot of technical jargon but leave that to the Germans, for us it translates to a more comfortable and more dialed-in driving experience.
The seat is a long way from production currently, starting May 2020 the 3D-printed bodyform full-bucket seat will be available as an option from the Porsche Tequipment list for buyers of 911 and 718 models. However, it will initially be available for use only on racetracks around Europe to get customer feedback and further develop the design. Once in production buyers will be able to choose from three different levels of comfort for their seat in the buying process and in the long term the company is aiming to have fully customised seats including various colours and exact dimensions to fit the driver.
Karan Singh, Correspondent, evo India
Perhaps as much in love with Porsche 911s as he is with sneakers (and good food), Karan claims his love for cars started before he learnt to speak, even though there is a rumour around the office that he fell asleep while attending his first ever Grand Prix! He likes to find weird quirks about cars and dedicates a fairly large space in his head to random car facts and an equally large space in his heart for cars with cool specs. He came across this career path by chance, and going by how excited he gets as soon as new metal rolls into the office, he seems to be loving everyday of his journey as an automotive journalist.
