Bugatti will no longer produce its quad-turbocharged W16 engine. The engine that was created for the Veyron was constantly developed and eventually powered the Chiron. The company is now saying goodbye to this powerhouse with the Bugatti W16 Mistral.

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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 per cent 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.”

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High-speed Hairdryer

The Bugatti W16 Mistral takes its name from a powerful wind in Europe. It blows from the Rhône River valley, through southern France and into the Mediterranean. That must be how it feels to drive a car with this level of power and no roof.

Bugatti chief designer Achim Anscheidt and his team drew heavily on models from Bugatti’s history to create this new shape. Cues such as the V-shaped windscreen and two-new roof-mounted engine air scoops are nods to Bugatti’s from the past. 

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Functional Art

Many aspects of the car’s design are driven by functional reasons, for example, the headlights. Their three-dimensional surface funnels air through the light and out through the wheel arch to improve aerodynamic drag. The X-shaped taillights, meanwhile, help vent warm air from the oil coolers through ducts connecting the triangular in between the X beams to the radiators. 

Learn five interesting facts about the track-only Bugatti Bolide at this link.

Unique Powerplant

The engine used in the Mistral is unique as no other vehicle has this configuration. Four turbochargers force feed the 8,0-litre W16 mill. The net result is peak power of 1177 kW, which is the same as the record-setting Super Sport 300+ which hit 490,484 km/h in 2019.

Bugatti hints that it may have a crack at the open-top top-speed record in its press release: There can only be one goal in mind: to become the fastest roadster in the world once more.

Sold Out

Only 99 examples of the W16 Mistral will be built. Each will cost €5 million and the entire production run is already sold out. Bummer, we thought this’d make a nice Christmas present for someone we know.