Every enthusiast knows that if you’re trying to set faster lap times on the track, a performance seat is a must.
Upgrading to a Tillett performance seat provides you the following benefits:
Compared to regular seats, Tillett seats are far lighter and can contribute significantly to improving the power-to-weight of your vehicle, which in turn boosts handling dynamics and acceleration. Tillett seats in particular are known for their light weight and can often deliver a weight saving of around 80% over OEM road seats.
Tillett FIA homologated seats are sled tested, which involves exposing the seat to high-G side and rear impacts. The Company’s technology transfer philosophy means that everything learned from those FIA tests is incorporated across the entire range. Every seat in the range can accommodate multi-point safety harnesses which are able to distribute impact forces across a wider area. Some, like the NEW B10 are also optimised for use with regular 3-point road belts. The construction technology and materials used within the body of the seats are designed to withstand very high impacts and potential flying debris.
Tillett seats are incredibly supportive, keeping your body securely in place even when exposed to extreme forces, meaning your motor skills are not compromised and you can better operate the controls. The superior ergonomic fit also reduces fatigue and keeps you fresher and more alert, meaning your reactions remain sharper - for longer.
Not all performance seats are built equally. In fact, the manufacturing approach taken by different brands to reach their end product is often very different. Research, development, material selection, manufacturing specification and testing all ultimately affect performance.
However, nothing shapes performance more than the demands of actual competition - and here, Tillett has achieved racing success spanning nearly 4 decades across motorsport from karting through to Formula 1.
“At the highest level there is no room for compromise or failure” says founder Steve Tillett, “and in the early days it was a steep learning curve. Our seats today look, feel and perform the way they do thanks to everything we have learned on track and feedback from the best drivers in the world. These have included Hamilton, Schumacher, Norris, Raaikonen and Di Resta amongst many others.”
The biggest surprise for those new to Tillett seats is just how comfortable they are - especially over longer distances. This is because the superior shape means that excessive padding is simply not needed.
It’s a common misconception that the larger and softer the padding, the more comfortable any seat must be. In fact - to a point - the reverse is actually true.
A chair that is too soft causes slouching and poor posture, which in turn restricts blood flow and rapidly fatigues muscles and ligaments. We’ve all probably experienced lounging on a soft sofa, only to struggle getting up and feeling tired and sore afterwards.
This is because your bones are designed to support your body weight - not your muscles. A plush surface may feel comfortable when you first sit down, but the distribution of body weight forces down into your muscles will soon cause discomfort.
When it comes to car seats, all these factors are compounded by dynamics. Acceleration, deceleration and lateral forces all amplify the issues presented by an excessively padded seat. Over long distances in particular, the constant shifting of your body mass and the muscle corrections required to maintain position will cause far more fatigue and discomfort than an ergonomically superior seat with minimal padding.
Tillett seats look, feel and perform differently to any other seat on the market today. This is thanks to a unique (and closely guarded) manufacturing system which is part craftsmanship, part technical know-how and part materials technology.
From research and design to prototype testing and manufacture by hand - every step of our process is rooted in no-compromise quality.
For more information or to enquire about a product, get in touch with us via our online contact form.
