TheE36
convertible
is
an
all-season
vehicle
with
a
high
lev-
e¡offunctionality,
excellent
interior
comfort,
and
acoustic
re-
finement
.
Interior
materials
and
colors,
the
soft
top
and
the
light-alloy
wheelshave
been
carefully
matched
.
Various
versions
of
manual
and
automatic
soft
tops
have
been
used,
with
the
fully
automatic
convertible
roof
being
in-
stalled
beginning
in
the
1997
model
year
.
A
hard-top
in
body
color
with
heated
rear
window
is
avail-
ableas
an
option
for
the
cold
season
.
BODY-GENERAL
400-
3
Coupe
Models
The
convertible
body
structure
includes
many
passive
safe-
ty
refinements
over
its
fixed-top
counterparts
.
Some
of
the
en-
TheE36
coupe
is
similar
to
the4-door
sedan,
but
has
a
hancements
include
:
more
stretched
and
sleeker
appearance
.
Thus,
with
the
same
wheelbase
and
identicallength,
it
looks
different
but
still
famil-
"
More
rígíd
underbody
.
iar
.
"
Transverse
seat
members
.
"
Reinforced
windshield
frame
with
bonded
windshield,
The
2-door
variant
differs
from
the
4-door
sedan
by
a
3
.12
and
tubular
door
reinforcements
.
inch
(8
cm)
longer
front
end,
a
flatter
hood
line
with
air
slits,
"
Rollover
protection
system,
which
is
tripped
into
position
and
a
roof
almost
1
.2
inches
(3
cm)
shorter
.
Additional
differ-
in
a
fraction
of
second
.
This
is
available
as
optional
ences
include
wider
doors
with
frameless
Windows,
glass-
equipment
(standard
on
the
1998
328iC)
and
may
be
fit-
covered
door-posts
(B-pillars)
and
a
shorter
and
lower
lug-
ted
to
earlier
convertible
models
.
With
this
feature,
two
gage
compartment
lid
.
bars
fully
independent
of
each
other
come
up
behind
each
rear-seat
backrest
when
the
vehicle
is
in
danger
of
Convertible
Models
turning
over
.
A
convertible
body
normally
flexes
and
vibrates,
transfer-
ring
oscillations
to
the
luggage
compartment
.
In
the
E36
con-
vertible,
BMW
utilizes
a
special
battery
in
the
luggage
compartment,
in
conjunction
with
a
unique
battery
tray,
asa
vibration
dampening
system
to
counteract
thisoscillation
.
CAUTION
-
The
E36
convertible
requires
a
specialbattery
which
is
designed
for
constant
vibration
.
Information
for
the
convertible
top
and
its
related
mecha-
nisms
can
be
found
541
Convertible
Top
.
BODYASSEMBLY
