I am in the process of configuring a MCS. I noted that the lumbar support cost at least $1500 with the incidental addition of leather seats.

What do people think about the necessity of the lumbar support compared the sport seats with standard upholstery(leatherette or cloth) - ie. no lumbar support

Depends on how much you want to stay planted during spirited cornering. If it's not important, the hassle of getting around the extra bulge when exiting could be annoying.

I test drove my friends MCS for 200 miles on twisty backroads. The cloth sport seats felt great. I didn't notice a lack of lumbar support. My friend has a bad back (multiple back surgeries) and likes the cloth sport seats.

When I ordered my car, I got the lounge leather, but not because of the lumbar.

We have one MINI with lumbar support and one without. Personally, I've never once used them in the MINI that does have them. To me it just makes the seat feel uncomfortable (as if someone's constantly poking me in the back). Thus, I always turn it all the way down/off and wish that the feature wasn't even on the seats in the first place.

Personally I like the lumbar support that came with my non sport leather seats, feels very comfortable when on long journey.

I like my letherette seats. The material is grabby, the overall contour is very supportive, and it is kind to my back.

For the extra cost for sport seats they should have included lumbar support leather or not .Configurator was not clear on this at all.

Love the lumbar support. Do not like the upper curve of the seat. Head rest pushes my head foward. I like to sit up straight, rather than leaning back with my head forward. I sat in every seat a dozen times to make sure I was getting the best for me. I needed to use lots of extra support in my last car...lumbar plus, and felt that it was very unstable. I wanted to sit in the seat. I still wish I could adjust the seat bottom, so it is higher closer to the tail bone and lower toward the knees. Seat comfort was high priority so I put my money there.

I have lumbar support on my Integra and miss it on my MCS (cloth seats).

My understanding is that the MCS comes with sport seats standard but lumbar support only with leather. Am I correct?

I like the leather.

It's worth not $1500, but $1900!!! (Redwood Red)

The lumbar support? Nice at times... but not worth $1500 assuming your otherwise going for cloth or leatherette.

The MCS does come with sport seats and leatherette or cloth standard and NO lumbar support.

If you are paying the 1500 to 1900 I hope it's for the leather and not the lumbar support, because to me that isn't a reason to spend that kind of money on the seats. That being said I have the leatherette sport seats, and I am happy with the higher bolsters that seems to keep me in my seat mostly.

I would not recommend ordering the lumbar support for that price.

No matter which seats you get you can always add additional lumbar support to help with comfort or for a bad back.

I use-
http://seniorshops.com/slimline.html
for car or plane seats. It's easy and works for me. It's much firmer and offers much more support.

With a bad back the MINI sport seats with lumbar support I have is not enough back support.

For a full back roll in soft or firm also see
http://seniorshops.com/ormckenlumro.html
or
choose from
http://seniorshops.com/lumrolandcus.html

The older MINIs that had sport seats came with lumbar support.
The sports seats were better than the standard seats.

For better value get leatherette or cloth and add a lumbar roll.
To try it out, get a roll, take it to the dealer and go for a test drive in a MINI with cloth seats. See how it feels. Only costs $15 to $22.

I have an 07 MCS with leatherette. For me, the $1500 pricetag for leather and lumbar is the answer to a question nobody asked. I have had back issues for about 20 years, and the regular seats are perfectly comfortable and all, long drive or short, straight or twisty. But it's your money, so do what seems right to you.

Best bet is to actually sit and drive them at your dealer. Everyones back is different.