Vehicles BMW Mini Clubman - Faurecia - Detroit 2008 - Auto Show

Seat

Designed to provide easy access to the rear seats, the front seats use a single-articulation recliner and tracks that are equipped with a position memory function. They are fitted with a highly efficient pump lever with a low operating torque that makes it easier to adjust the height of the seat.

Faurecia uses an advanced laser welding technology to manufacture the seat frames, thus resulting in a lighter seat structure. The flexibility of this production process makes it possible to produce two different versions of the rear seats: a three-seater for the European market and a two-seater for the North American market. In addition, the Clubman is fitted with Faurecia head restraints used on other models in the BMW Mini range.

To ensure they meet the high criteria expected of any "Premium" product, Faurecia's seat systems must consistently attain the highest quality standards in every field, including design, high-end features and production – a task made all the more challenging by the exceptionally wide range of finishes and materials used.

Faurecia offers just-in-time delivery on seat systems from its Banbury factory in the UK, where four assembly lines are currently in operation. This site began work in 2006 to ensure mass production of seats for the Mini, which BMW assembles at its nearby Oxford plant.

These lines operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure they meet the rate of production required by BMW in accordance with chosen options and finishes, spanning more than 200 different combinations a day. Faurecia's production system operates in step with the automaker’s own sequences and delivers the seats to BMW's Oxford assembly plant.

Designed to provide enough flexibility to absorb new manufacturing requirements for seating, the Banbury plant now produces seats for the Clubman in addition to those for the classic Mini. All that remains is for production to begin on the new cabriolet…

The reduction in the weight of the seats without compromising on comfort or features was a real challenge during the development process. Faurecia was able to meet all these goals while ensuring the highest safety standards.

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