Front bench seats

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Discussion

Rotary Madness

Original Poster:

2,285 posts

193 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
I was just thinking, besides a few pickups, i cant think of any cars, especially in the last 20 odd years, that have had front bench seats. I mean theyre not as supportive in corners i know, but if its not a sporty car, id rather have the option of being able to carry an extra person.
Are their any cars/4x4's etc with front bench seats, or am i stuck in the 50's? confused

farrendahl

1,248 posts

181 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Rotary Madness said:
I was just thinking, besides a few pickups, i cant think of any cars, especially in the last 20 odd years, that have had front bench seats. I mean theyre not as supportive in corners i know, but if its not a sporty car, id rather have the option of being able to carry an extra person.
Are their any cars/4x4's etc with front bench seats, or am i stuck in the 50's? confused
You are stuck in the 50's I'm afraid, the closest you'll get to a three abreast bench (although it isn't) is the Fiat Multiple and the now quietly dropped Honda FRV

Edited by farrendahl on Monday 21st June 21:22

natureboy8891

137 posts

178 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
would you really want 3 full size people sitting in the front of a normal size car? If you want extra people just get a 7 seater.

Rotary Madness

Original Poster:

2,285 posts

193 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Ah, ok then, looks like ill have to settle for either an older car, or just a change of plans.


It was actually less to do with sitting lots of people in the car, and more to do with having the good lady sat next to me on long drives boxedin

Furyous

24,142 posts

228 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
My old MKIII Cortina auto had a bench seat, I loved it.

eldar

22,731 posts

203 months

Monday 21st June 2010
quotequote all
Rotary Madness said:
I was just thinking, besides a few pickups, i cant think of any cars, especially in the last 20 odd years, that have had front bench seats. I mean theyre not as supportive in corners i know, but if its not a sporty car, id rather have the option of being able to carry an extra person.
Are their any cars/4x4's etc with front bench seats, or am i stuck in the 50's? confused
And the joys of a column change manual box.

Groober

775 posts

187 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
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You can fit 3 in the front of a Fiat Multipla.

lost in espace

6,293 posts

214 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
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Any Defender or Series III, HTH. biglaugh

ZesPak

24,901 posts

203 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
Can you identify this without looking at the link?


BigS

867 posts

180 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
That'll be one of them Matra things

ZesPak

24,901 posts

203 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
BigS said:
That'll be one of them Matra things
yes

Was quite surprised when I sat in one and it had 3 seats!

Munkeyfeet

468 posts

187 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
Rotary Madness said:
Ah, ok then, looks like ill have to settle for either an older car, or just a change of plans.


It was actually less to do with sitting lots of people in the car, and more to do with having the good lady sat next to me on long drives boxedin
Bless ya - thats a great thing to admit to on this often too blokey forum.

smile good work

Zod

35,295 posts

265 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
ZesPak said:
BigS said:
That'll be one of them Matra things
yes

Was quite surprised when I sat in one and it had 3 seats!
The only car named after a Jungle Book character - the Bagheera.

Truckosaurus

12,036 posts

291 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
Just buy a Caterham or an old Mini, that gets you up-close-and-personal with your passenger.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

253 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
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The much revered McLaren F1 has an even dafter seating arrangement - three across with the driver in the middle (and pushed forward so he can't even communicate with the passengers). LOL

Front bench seat would almost certainly run into passenger protection difficulties under modern crash testing with airbags etc.

Negative Creep

25,220 posts

234 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
Ford Falcon had one until about 1994. My current one has a bench seat, with the armrest down I really don't find it a problem. Not a fan of the column shifter though

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

253 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
Rotary Madness said:
It was actually less to do with sitting lots of people in the car, and more to do with having the good lady sat next to me on long drives boxedin
I'm always surprised this doesn't get mentioned more in the FWD/RWD/4WD debate!!

slimmyreed

125 posts

183 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
The Americans held onto the bench seat for a while. I remember when I was living in the states my dad had a Buick with a bench seat. This was in the mid 90's. However, you really don't want a Buick, or any yank tank.



So I haven't really been any help tongue out

ZesPak

24,901 posts

203 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
quotequote all
Zod said:
ZesPak said:
BigS said:
That'll be one of them Matra things
yes

Was quite surprised when I sat in one and it had 3 seats!
The only car named after a Jungle Book character - the Bagheera.
iirc the Bagheera was the predecessor to the Murena Matra

ps: the Ka? :P

mrmr96

13,736 posts

211 months

Tuesday 22nd June 2010
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I believe this is quite 'snug' for two people:

Not great for canoodles though.