French hypercar manufacturer Bugatti has revealed the limited run W16 Mistral roadster with 1,578bhp on tap.
The Bugatti W16 Mistral is limited to just 99 units, all of which have been sold for a price tag of 5 million euros each (before tax).
The limited run Bugatti roadster gets its name from the ‘Mistral’ a powerful wind that blows from the Rhone river valley into the Mediterranean sea. The W16 Mistral marks the marks the end of production of the Bugatti’s iconic 8.0-litre turbocharged W16 engine that first debuted in the 987bhp (1,001PS)Bugatti Veyron.
Speaking about the new W16 Mistral, Mate Rimac, Bugatti Rimac CEO, said, “For the final roadgoing appearance of Bugatti’s legendary W16 engine, we knew we had to create a roadster. 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 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. The W16 Mistral opens the next chapter in the Bugatti roadster story, inspired by over a century of open top legends.”
The new Bugatti W16 Mistral borrows most of its mechanical parts from Chiron hypercar. This includes the Chiron Super Sport’s heavily turbocharged W16 engine that produces a heady 1,578bhp (1,600PS) and 1,600Nm of peak torque. The engine is paired to a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox that sends power to all four wheels of the roadster.
The Bugatti W16 Mistral has a top speed of 420km/h (261 miles/h). However, Bugatti intends to take the record for the World’s Fastest Roadster with the Mistral, a record currently held by Hennessey Venom GT Spyder with a top speed of 265.6 miles/h (427.44km/h).
In terms of design, the new W16 Mistral features quite a few unique design features while borrowing design cues from Bugatti’s latest array of limited run hypercars. At the front, the Mistral sports a unique headlight design featuring 4 vertically stacked LED strips. The wider horsehoe grille was first seen on the one-off La Voiture Noire.
The distinctive wrap-around windscreen that blends into the side windows of the Mistral also looks similar to the one found on the one-off coupe and has been made possible by the redesigned carbon fibre monocoque. The Mistral features vents on its sides for the oil coolers. The massive W16 engine is fed by two intakes that now sit directly behind the occupants. These intakes also act as rollover hoops.
The rear section of the Bugatti Mistral borrows the X-shaped taillights of the Bolide track-only hypercar that are joined together by illuminated Bugatti script. The Bugatti W16 Mistral also features a massive single exhaust vent at the centre of the large diffuser element at the rear.
Step inside the new Mistral and you’ll be greeted by an interior that very similar to that found on the Chiron. The Mistral features a unique gear shifter. Machined from a single block of aluminium it features wood trim and a transparent amber insert which can be embedded with whatever the customer desires.
Thoughts About The Bugatti W16 Mistral
The Bugatti W16 Mistral sees the French marque bid farewell to its iconic W16 with a limited run roadster that it aims to beat yet another world record with. As always, Bugatti’s massive price tag hasn’t been a problem for its customers, who have already bought out the entire production run of this raucous roadster.
Keyword: 1578bhp Bugatti W16 Mistral Revealed - End Of An Era