For decades, Bugatti has been the posterchild for raw power and world-bending straight-line speed. From the Veyron, first unveiled all the way back in 2000 at the Paris Motor Show, to the Chiron and various special editions that have gone on to set world records for road-going speeds, Bugatti has been the superfluous performance champion for a generation.
Words Sam Hexter, Photography Courtesy Of Bugatti
For decades, Bugatti has been the posterchild for raw power and world-bending straight-line speed. From the Veyron, first unveiled all the way back in 2000 at the Paris Motor Show, to the Chiron and various special editions that have gone on to set world records for road-going speeds, Bugatti has been the superfluous performance champion for a generation.
Words Sam Hexter, Photography Courtesy Of Bugatti
Last Of The Old Guard
Offering up something entirely different to the usual slew of Italian supercars, Bugatti has long been the pinnacle, giving owners a taste of something truly unique through entirely bespoke, low-volume builds. And after years at the top with their now iconic recipe, centred around the W16 quad-turbo engine, Bugatti is giving one last hurrah to this motoring marvel with the Mistral Roadster, which is slated to be the final internal combustion engine car that the French automaker will ever produce.
It’s speculated that, as early as later this year, we’ll see an official announcement from Bugatti on the drivetrain that’ll replace the Chiron’s W16 motor. And that’s looking highly likely to be a plug-in hybrid platform, in joint development with now majority shareholders, Rimac Group. Which is an incredibly exciting prospect indeed. And so, what better way to retire the outgoing gasoline-powered generation than a 420 km/h open-top roadster!
The aforementioned engine, the ambitious and brilliant quad-turbo W16, is borrowed from the Chiron Super Sport, and is the same engine that broke records in 2019, propelling a road-legal car to a blistering 490 km/h. Bugatti’s last roadster, the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, set its own records in 2013, after the roofless Vitesse reached a staggering 408.84 km/h, with an engine rated at 1,200 PS. For reference, the new W16 Mistral has 1,600 PS, and its crosshairs set on becoming the fastest roadster in the world once again.
Ferocious Form & Function
The first thing to note, is that the Mistral Roadster is a true speedster – meaning the roof isn’t convertible. It actually comes with no roof at all. And to get one, you’ll need to pay extra. With that practical car buying advice out of the way, take a minute to drink in the sleek lines and incredible angles of this car.
Bugatti claims many of the design cues are inspired by the 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid, from its exterior styling, to colour scheme and visual character. In reality, the Mistral is closer to a highlight reel from the Chiron’s development cycle, bringing forward a medley of some of the most outstanding design features to pay homage to the outbound engine and lineage.
Supporting the chassis are staggered wheels, boasting 20 inches in the front and 21 inches in the rear. Moving down the lengths of the Mistral are trick scoops and ducts to draw air and manage downforce, but the functional elements are tucked neatly within the long, flowing lines. It doesn’t look like a utilitarian, go-fast car. From a distance it seems that it could be sculpted from a single piece of precious metal. In fact, the designers deliberately made the rear lower diffuser significantly larger to help manage airflow and mitigate the need for an ‘unsightly’ rear wing, helping to preserve the clean silhouette of the car, while retaining uncompromised efficiency and performance. The profile features two sets of intakes – the lower set feeding the breeze onto oil coolers, and the upper scoops drawing in huge amounts of air into the engine – which are positioned right above the seats in the twin cabin for maximum theatre at full throttle.
Outro
In many ways, the Mistral Roadster is the last of its kind. It represents a recipe perfected over time, and not one that we’ll see replicated again. The W16 is a monumental triumph of engineering, and has cemented Bugatti at the top of the game in a particular niche market for a very long time.
In Bugatti’s own words, the Mistral signifies freedom, elegance, and speed. And from what we know of the Mistral so far, it certainly seems to be the embodiment of that ethos. The last of the W16’s also seems to have resonated with Bugatti’s exclusive client list, as every one of the 99 examples that will be built have already been sold: each costing upwards of €5 million. But remember, the roof is extra.
ENGINE 1,578 hp, 1,599 Nm-torque.
ACCELERATION 0-100km/h Not yet published.
TOP SPEED Expected 420 km/h.
MARKET ALTERNATIVES Bentley Bacalar, Aston Martin DBS Superleggera Volante, Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster, Ferrari 812 GTS.
PRICE From €5 million plus local tax. Limited to just 99 examples, all sold.