Quick question for those with Alcantara in the Racing Seats

I don't want to highjack this thread but i would ba alos curious how the alcantera is holding up on the seat. Funny, it is less durable than leather, must cost less than leather, yet Ferrari gets away with charging extra for it..

 

It's a "special" order, just ask to your dealer.
That's what I did and ordered...
Just awesome!

 

I don't think it's a coded option, it is just a special request in which the dealer mentions when placing the order. Possibly falls under "extra companairo" or whatever they call it.

 

Are you getting the race seats because you are going to put the car on the track?

 

But because it's cheap when it wears out you just take the car to an upholstery shop and have it swapped out.

 

Right! That is what makes it fun because if the seat was just leather you would never have to see an upholsterer.

 

Good for you. I have race seats in a Porsche and I hate getting into them but I don't do anything more than a track day once or twice a year so I definitely should have got the regular seats.

 

The Alcantara holds you in the seat better than the leather. I'd rather see an upholsterer once every 5-10 years and stay in place in my seat, than see an autobody shop because I ran off the road due to me sliding all over the place in my seat.

Plus the more secure you are in your seat the faster you'll go around the track. It's amazing how much a 6 point harness will improve your lap times.

 

If you are driving fast enough on the road to need a racing seat and a 6 point harness I think you need to have your license revoked.

Also if you are in a racing seat in a 6 point harness there is no where for you to go if you bought a seat that fits you.

 

The race seats in the 458 are the best looking but they are also very comfortable.


Onno

 

Please notice the words lap times, and you've obviously never been in the mountains of NC. You should venture up there. Loads of tight twisting turns, bring something smaller than a 458 though.

 

It is a custom request. On my build sheet it stated 'spec request EXTRACAMPIONARIO'.
Note that the center vertical stripe must be leather.

I don't want to highjack this thread but i would ba alos curious how the alcantera is holding up on the seat. Funny, it is less durable than leather, must cost less than leather, yet Ferrari gets away with charging extra for it..

The alcantera seats hold up extremely well. After several track days and now a few long runs, I highly recommend them. Rb

 

Personally I got the racing seat because (surprisingly) they are way more comfortable. I have the alcantara strip on it, great choice.

 

The racing seats in the 458, at least the large ones, are very comfortable and easy to get in and out of...they are not 6 pt racing seats like you'd have in race cars.

I actually think they are more comfortable than the standard seats.

I have the alcantara inserts, which look and feel great, and don't expect them to wear any faster than leather.

 

I assume you mean "alcantara central section" because the central thin strip, I understand, is leather.

 

I thought you said you were worried about running yourself off the road.

 

I have never sat in the racing seats in a 458. Maybe the bolsters are not as aggressive as I think.

I have a 2010 GT3RS with the sports seats and they are hard to get in and out of because the bolsters on the bottom part of the seat are so high. I have been in an F430 Challenge car which has a difficult seat too but I have been in a Scuderia with the racing seat which was not so bad but it was a large and I would need a small.

 

The GT3RS and the Challenge cars have a more traditional fixed back racing seat, while the 458 doesn't, its just a lighter, ergonomic seat that hugs you a bit more not a true "race seat".

 

This is yet another one of those urban legends that persists unsubstantiated. There is no evidence that alcantara is less durable than leather and in fact it is likely more durable because it does not tend to crack or get creased after sitting it extensively. Indeed this is also the design spec that the inventor used. People think it might be less durable because it looks like suede, but the material is completely synthetic. I also want to point out that this material has been in used in automotive products for 30 years, and you can find plenty of pictures of cars from the 80's that used this material and they look at least as good as their leather counterparts from those days (usually much better). I challenge you to find a documented case online where the material has not held up when used on seating surfaces in a car. I've personally owned a couple cars that had alcantara seat inserts which I used as daily drivers for years with no issue at all. On the other hand, the seat bolsters on my leather seated cars quite readily begin to show their age after a few years of sustained use.

If you have seen the regular leather seats on the demo 458 that went around the country during launch you will know exactly what I mean.

 

How much did you save when you only request alcantara center portion of the race seats?

 

I have full leather race seats but must agree with the above on alcantara - I have a 1990 Lance Delta Integrale with gray alacantara and its holding up fine after 70k miles and 22 years.

I dont find full leather race seats slippery but maybe I have the perfect hips for the large size seats! I agree they are very comfortable, great design. Be aware that they only have 3 height settings on the drivers seat and it is supposed to be back to the dealerss to alter it but it is easy enough to do yourself (although I have not done so). The passenger seat has no height adjustment but by 5ft 3" partner has no complaints on the height.

 

I think the biggest advantage of alcantara center portion of the seats are alcantara doesn't get hot in the summer and doesn't get cold in the winter. It is softer and looks more sporty. Also, it doesn't crack or deform as leather. I have BMW performance Seats in my M3. They have alcantara center portions and leather side bolsters. I'm very happy with them so far.

I have an order for 458 italia for september built and getting the carbon race bucket in alcantara/leather (DAAL option). I choose to have grigio titanio color with cuoio interior. Painted dash, painted steering wheel, nero carpet. I'm thinking of having the standart dash trim which I think matches with the exterior color. The dash trim is already 3D so having it shiny carbon is too much in your face. Otherwise, I opt for the carbon fibre driving zone and carbon tunnel.

Sorry to hijack your thread.