General Split Rear Seats - question 2

[PekingPanda]

I'ven never actually seen these and my local dealer doesn't seem to have either because he can't tell me.

Is it just the seat back that is split or is it the back and squab? And if it's the latter would it be possible to unbolt one side leaving a three seater Panda?

 

[HP]

The seat squab is one piece, the backs fold down onto it in the 100hp.

 

[Wee Smurf]

On the split sliding and folding rear seat, the squab is also one piece with the back having a 50:50 split... So it's not possible to have three seats. It is easy to remove the rear seat completely though. It's only held in place by 4 bolts...

 

[PekingPanda]

A curse upon Fiat for doing that, why do more and more cars seem not to allow the one rear seat to fold flat by having split squabs?

Now I'm going to have to work out how to have a 3 seater Panda some other way.

 

[MHRAR]

If it is for permanent use, perhaps you could make up an offset subframe using the split and sliding seat mounting bolts to fit an extra front seat in the back to make a three seater still using the existing seat belt mounting.....

 

[PekingPanda]

Well it's for semi-permanent use I think we could say. I'm now in the final speccing stages of the Panda 4x4 which I'll be driving to China. Initially I'd thought get the simplest rear seat and remove it completely to give as much luggage space as possible. BUT, turns out you can't drive in China without a government guide, and that'll mean three people in the car for a couple of weeks right at the end of the trip. So I'd hoped that the seat was totally split and that I could remove one half, giving space for bums and luggage. Looks like I can't though.

I'd have thought that putting a front seat in would make it too high though, I'll have to check that out, might find something like a bucket seat would fit or perhaps source something out of another car.

 

[MHRAR]

The ideal seat (requiring much ingenuity to checkout and find - haven't seen this one in the flesh but look at a FIAT Idea for initial inspiration) would be a tumbling folding rear seat.....

 

[PekingPanda]

Ah yes, that would be good, was looking at an Idea today, it's quite neat really.