Both the passenger and driver seats.
The Volkswagen Group has been investing for years in 3D printing technology and is beginning to see the results. The Volkswagen brand will soon begin using 3D-printed parts in its production cars. Porsche is the performance brand of VAG and offers 3D-printed body forms with full bucket seats for some models.
After the seats were tested by a small group of Porsche drivers, the automaker made final adjustments before releasing the product to the market. The seats can now be purchased at an additional cost for different Boxster, Cayman and 911 models through Porsche Tequipment’s Performance Parts program. The 3D-printed seats, which will be made available by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur starting February next year will also be included in the Porsche online new car configurator.
Porsche is proud to say that this product has more than its unique appearance. The central section of the new seat design, which was created using a 3D printer along with the cushion backrest and cushion, is the highlight. The seat’s central section can be made in three rigidity grades. This allows customers to customize the design to their specific requirements. Side note: The same technology was used to make the seats for the Mission R Concept at the 2021 IAA Mobility Show in Munich.
Lars Kern, a Porsche test driver, explains that seats that are adapted to individual drivers have been around for a while in professional motorsport. Porsche now offers road-approved customization, with different rigidity levels as standard. The ergonomics of the seats were impressive during my initial test drives. They have a slightly lower position and better thigh support, which is similar to the racing seat. It is also impressive to have passive ventilation.
The 3D-printed bucket seats are available on all Porsche models, which otherwise have full-sized bucket seats. The automaker promises that it will retrofit existing vehicles with the new seats. The best thing about this is the fact that you can replace the passenger seat on some models with a 3D-printed bucket chair.