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Old 03-23-2014, 01:29 AM   #280
Altitude
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Location: Denver, Colorado
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Default 1996 California Edition

I think there should be one more model added to the "what ti do you own" thread for a total of 5 different models. We should include the “1996 California Edition” and here are some reasons why we should consider doing this.

In 1995 BMW introduced the Club Sport “model”, and for the one and only model year of 1995 they marketed it as the "318ti Club Sport Exclusive Edition", and then starting in 1996 all of the options that made the Club Sport unique and special, with the exception of the M-tech mirrors, were now available in the 1996 and later Sport models. Enthusiasts tend to recognize the first year of any new model and the Club Sport is no exception, even though it is really not much different than any of the 1996 and later production Sport models.

Now in 1996 BMW introduced another new model, the "318ti California Exclusive Edition" and for this model, BMW included the following options as standard, your “California Edition” came with the electric sliding canvas roof top, full body color bumpers and rocker panels, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, 15x7 round spoke alloy wheels, Cruise control and the exterior color would either be painted in jet black or bright red, and as for options on this edition you could add all season traction control, an onboard computer, automatic transmission, leather upholstery and metallic paint in Aqua metallic, Arctic silver or Montreal blue.

In 1996 the only way to get the California top was to purchase your ti as the California Exclusive Edition, and similar to the 1995 Club Sport the previous year, the California Edition was manufactured for only the 1996 model year, and the following year in 1997 the California top now became an option that you could add on to any model. For the 1996 model year, the 318ti “California Exclusive Edition” was a stand-alone “model” from BMW that came with the California top as a key part of its overall package. BMW manufactured and advertised it as a stand-alone model and on an enthusiast forum we should treat it as a separate stand-alone 318ti “model”. What do you think?

Models
Base
Active
Sport
1995 Club Sport
1996 California Edition

Click image for larger version Name:	318ti Club Sport Exclusive Edition.jpg Views:	180 Size:	34.8 KB ID:	14837

Click image for larger version Name:	318ti California Exclusive Edition.jpg Views:	176 Size:	37.8 KB ID:	14838
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