MGA seat covers are produced in three distinct trim patterns to suit the standard roadster, coupé and Competition De Luxe seats fitted across MGA production from 1955 to 1962. The pattern, material and piping combination must be chosen to match the seats originally fitted to the car, or, in the case of restoration, the period-correct specification being aimed for. Reproduction covers are made to the original Connolly and Vaumol leather patterns, with vinyl alternatives available where a more practical or budget-conscious finish is required.
Identifying the Correct Pattern
Three seat patterns were used during MGA production. The standard roadster cover features asymmetrical squabs with six pleats and noticeably wider border panels, paired with cushions divided into eight narrower pleats of equal width. The coupé cover differs visually: the squabs carry a border panel each side with four transverse pleats in the centre and deeper top and bottom panels, while the cushion pleats run right across without the roadster's cushion border panels. The Competition De Luxe pattern, introduced as a factory option from September 1958, is recognisable by horseshoe-shaped borders around both squab and cushion, with the central area divided into five pleats and piping around both the outer edges and the central panels.
Identifying which pattern is fitted, or which is correct for the car's original specification, is the essential first step before ordering covers.
Leather Cover Options
Leather seat covers are available in the principal MGA interior colours, typically black, red and grey, to suit each seat pattern. Original specification used Connolly's Celstra leather on 1500 models and the slightly better quality Vaumol leather on 1600, Twin Cam and 1600 Mk II cars, with Vynide leathercloth on the edges and backs. Modern reproduction covers are produced to the original cut, pleat spacing and stitching pattern. Piping colour is integral to the original specification: black seats were finished with contrast piping, while seats in other colours used piping in the main seat colour.
Reproduction sets are offered with red, white, black or, on the De Luxe pattern, green piping, allowing factory-correct combinations or sympathetic period-style alternatives to be specified.
Vinyl Cover Options
Vinyl seat covers in the roadster and coupé patterns provide a hard-wearing, weather-tolerant alternative to leather. Vinyl is the practical choice for cars used regularly in damp weather or for owners wanting to replicate the look of original trim without the cost or maintenance demands of full leather. Cut and pattern follow the original seat shape, and piping options match those offered in leather so that a consistent appearance is maintained between the seat covers and adjacent trim.
De Luxe and Coupé Covers
The Competition De Luxe pattern requires its specific cover set, the horseshoe-shaped borders and five-pleat central area cannot be achieved using a standard roadster or coupé cover. De Luxe covers suit the wider seat frame originally fitted to factory De Luxe-equipped cars, so confirming the seats themselves are the wider Competition De Luxe pattern is important when ordering. Coupé covers are produced in their own pattern to suit the coupé's distinct trim layout, and because the coupé's centre armrest is plain (without the pleats found on the roadster armrest), it is worth ordering matching armrest trim alongside the cover set if both are being renewed.
Fitting and Material Care
Seat covers should be fitted over freshly inspected foams (Dunlopillo cushion and Hairlok padding) on a clean, undamaged frame. Refitting covers over collapsed or contaminated foam is a common error, the pleats sit incorrectly when the underlying foam has lost its shape. Leather covers benefit from a controlled break-in period and regular feeding with a quality hide food once installed, preserving suppleness and reducing the risk of cracking around the pleat lines. Vinyl covers require less ongoing maintenance but should be cleaned with a non-aggressive vinyl cleaner to avoid damaging the surface finish.
Ordering Guidance
Before ordering, confirm three points: the seat pattern (standard roadster, coupé or Competition De Luxe), the material (leather or vinyl) and the colour combination including piping. Cars that have been re-trimmed previously may carry covers that do not match the original specification, so visual identification of the seats themselves, rather than the existing covers, is the more reliable starting point.
Where original specification is being restored, the variant (1500, Twin Cam, 1600 or 1600 Mk II) and production date will determine the correct leather grade and colour scheme. Individual squab or cushion covers are available alongside full sets, allowing partial replacement where only one part of a seat needs renewal.