Special from the beginning – the BMW i8 – a marvel in automotive manufacturing and technology – finally hits the market in a color that buyers have been asking for since the Fall of 2014.

Black. “Not just any black because that would have been an academic exercise” says Chris Marino, General Sales Manager of Century West BMW. “The Frozen Black Protonic Edition i8 is immaculate.”

Marino would know.

On countless occasions, BMWBLOG has been privy to the many unique iterations of design Marino has showcased at Century West BMW in Los Angeles. In the case of the Frozen Black Protonic Edition, like the Protonic Red Edition that preceded it, the Black Edition’s variances are skin-deep: exclusive badging, dark NESO seats with anthracite and yellow contrast stitching, grey seat-belts, embossed-i8 emblem in the seat headrests and some other design nuances. Replete with the Style 470 wheel, the Frozen Black Edition looks magnificent. Due to limited production, many dealerships won’t receive a single i8-Edition vehicle. While production numbers aren’t official, it is believed that less than 100 of any edition-i8 will be produced.

Consumer demand for the Edition cars has been steady.

“We’ve sold three of the Protonic Red cars, consumers have wanted a unique color for the i8 and the red-edition answered that call,” says Marino. How long will the black-editions stay in showrooms? Judging by consumer interest in black for an i8, not for long. Marino will only tell us that their car, pictured here, is probably spoken for.

“A female-celebrity has already contacted us regarding the purchase and we believe she will be buying the car.” Marino is quick to point out that the ecological premise that the i8 offers, has a high take-rate in Los Angeles.

“People here – and plenty not affiliated with the entertainment industry – can really get with the amazing and green performance of the i8. The ecological aspects of the i8 aren’t really discussed, but it is a story that needs to be told.”

Marino is referring to the estimated 76 MPGe the i8 scores, all the while hustling its lightweight 1,539 kg body to 60 miles an hour in a mere 4.4 seconds. Commonly understood as being the recipient of more power in the future, the existing i8 continues to make a case for the employment of technological advances by BMW that aren’t at the sake of looks, power and character.