Already sold out, this hyper sports car marks the end of an era.
When Bugatti introduced the world to the W16 Mistral during Monterey Car Week in 2022, all 99 of the limited-production vehicles were already sold. Priced at a mere five million euros (CAD $7.5 million). According to a Bugatti spokesperson, Bugatti had already invited their customers to private events before the world premiere to introduce the cars to them.
What would make someone spend that kind of money on a vehicle, and then wait another couple of years for delivery? According to Bugatti, “our vehicles offer a unique and unrivalled combination of luxury, performance and elegance, which has distinguished the brand since its founding in 1909 and is appreciated by customers and enthusiasts worldwide.
“On the other hand, it is very important to us as a brand that our customers not only buy a car, but also become part of a community. We cultivate this sense of community through shared and exclusive events, such as our Grand Tours around the world, the recent Bugatti Grand Prix in Las Vegas and the popular Molsheim Experience. Our customers become part of the Bugatti family.”
For many enthusiasts with such deep pockets, the Mistral was likely not their first introduction to the Bugatti family. According to Bugatti, these consumers, “usually already own a variety of other exclusive vehicles, including Bugatti models.”
A topless Chiron
For those not familiar with the Mistral name, it’s basically a roadster version of the Chiron, equipped with the same outrageous 1578-hp quad-turbo 8.0L W16 powerplant.
“For the final road-going appearance of Bugatti’s legendary W16 engine, we knew we had to create a roadster,” Bugatti Rimac CEO, Mate Rimac said when introducing the Mistral. “Well over 40% of all Bugatti vehicles ever created have been open-top in design, establishing a long lineage of performance icons that, to this day, are revered the world over.
“In the Chiron era, there had, to-date, been no roadster, so the introduction of the W16 Mistral continues this legacy, driven by enormous demand from our clients for an all-new way to experience the mighty performance of our iconic engine.”
Bugatti notes that they didn’t simply cut the top off a Chiron to make the Mistral what it is. The car was reengineered and reshaped, and according to a Bugatti spokesperson, the Mistral is just as capable as the Chiron that it’s based on.
Typically, roadsters are heavier, and therefore less nimble than their hardtop counterparts, but Bugatti’s spokesperson says that the Mistral isn’t suffering any performance setbacks.
“It is true that a series of measures were taken for the W16 Mistral to increase the rigidity of the vehicle and thus compensate for the structural changes for the open roof,” Bugatti’s spokesman said in an interview with Autosphere. “However, this is not at the expense of performance. The W16 Mistral reaches an electronically limited top speed of 420 km/h, although its potential is significantly higher, as demonstrated by its recent world record of 453.91 km/h.”
The record was set on a test track in Germany in late 2024, with Andy Wallace, Bugatti Pilote Officiel and winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours, behind the wheel. “Throughout the testing program leading up to this moment, it was incredible to feel how stable the car felt,” Wallace said. “I got the sense that it wanted to go faster. And when it came to the moment itself, the experience was overwhelmingly thrilling; feeling the elemental forces from the open-top cockpit, the sound of the immense W16 engine emanating from the air scoops next to my ear—it made the achievement incredibly emotional.”
Last of its kind
When the Mistral was originally unveiled to the world, Bugatti’s Design Director, Achim Anscheidt noted that the Mistral would be the last Bugatti to use a W16 engine. On one hand, it’s a shame to see the mighty W16 disappear. On the other hand, it’s a sign of the times as a growing number of car companies turn to electrification.
“It is correct that the W16 Mistral is the last car from Bugatti with the W16 engine,” admitted Bugatti’s spokesperson. “Bugatti’s latest hyper sports car, the Tourbillon, is powered by a new powertrain: an all-new 8.3-litre naturally aspirated V16 engine paired with a front e-Axle with two electric motors and one electric motor mounted at the rear axle. In total, the Tourbillon produces 1,800 hp with 1,000 from the combustion engine itself and 800 hp from the electric motors.
“We know the W16 Mistral will always have significance in the story of Bugatti, marking the last time that perhaps the greatest ever automotive powertrain is used in a road-going production car.”