Recently we introduced the 50th anniversary of the first RECARO sport seat “Sportsitz” from 1965 with a post about this revolutionary new RECARO product. In the next months, we will take the anniversary year as an opportunity to present important milestones of the past 50 years of RECARO seating history. We initially take a look at the outstanding seats of the 60s and 70s. First, we travel to the year 1967: Similar to the “Sportsitz” presented two years previously, this model – named “Rallye I” in retrospect – had its role models in seats that Stuttgart’s Karosseriewerk Reutter built in the 1950s for sporty Porsche models. New in the model from 1967: As with the sport seat from 1965, foam padding and short suspension travel in the new shell seat provided more comfort and a better feel for the car on the racing track. The basis was a seat shell made of fiberglass-reinforced polyester resin, which brought together the highest standards of safety with the least possible weight. Despite the rigid backrest, the “Rallye I” offered extensive options for making adjustments: To adjust the tilt angle, the height could be adjusted in the front and back independently, seat tracks enabled easy adjustment of length, and optional inlays in the lumbar and back area made individual adjustment of the padding possible as with the “Sportsitz”. For increased safety, the model was also available with a headrest adjustable in height and tilt from 1968 onwards. The new shell seat quickly became a favorite of drivers and could be found in vehicles from various racing series. It was not superseded until 1974 with the introduction of its successor “Rallye II”. However, the history of the “Rallye II” cannot be told without mentioning the RECARO “idealsitz,” which went into production in 1973. With the second generation of the “Idealsitz” for road use, starting in 1971 the well-known industrial designer Horst Sommerlatte was commissioned by RECARO to develop a new design language that not only featured eye-catching new colors but above all a new shape. Especially the variant “idealsitz-LS” was the complete package for the sporty driver: The pronounced lateral supports ensured the best possible grip, and a well-tuned suspension and padding brought unknown comfort. The “idealsitz” achieved the ergonomically correct seating position through a formfitting seat and backrest shape and a wide array of options for making adjustments: For example, the shoulder support was adjustable, and with the “LS” it was also possible to adjust the seat depth using a pull-out extension of the thigh support. In addition to design and comfort, safety also played a prominent role with road vehicles, of course. With increased accident safety through double-shell construction, higher strength compared to conventional profile frames, and orthopedically correct molded seat components, the “idealsitz” was the benchmark for proper and safe seating at the beginning of the 1970s. In motorsports, this decade was marked by the retrospectively named seat model “Rallye II.” It was developed in parallel with the new “idealsitz”, which was clearly recognizable in design, particularly for its color. The most important innovation of this racing shell, which was the first to be officially named “Rallye”: Now it was possible to fold the backrest forward. The seat did justice to the specific requirements of rally sport through the ergonomically correct shape and sport padding, along with the pronounced lateral support of the metal shell. Special safety was also provided to the drivers through the adjustable headrest and the increased impact protection, which significantly exceeded the then strict US safety regulations. In the “Rallye II,” RECARO brought together comfort, sportiness, and safety in a special way. The seat was the inspiration for the entire RECARO product range: Professional expertise for everyone.
