Bugatti ends W16 engine era with introduction of Mistral roadster
The time has now come for Bugatti to retire its long-serving W16 powerplant and the marque is giving it a fitting send-off with the introduction of the Mistral roadster.
The 8.0-litre W16 engine has been beating at the heart of every Bugatti since 2005 when the Veyron was introduced. Named after a powerful wind that blows from the Rhône River Valley and based on the Chiron roadster, the Mistral gives a nod to the Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid of the olden days.
According to the Molsheim-based automaker, the Mistral offers performance unlike any open-top car that has gone before, thanks to a monocoque that has been re-engineered and reshaped to create a more rounded silhouette without compromising performance.
The new Mistral features an exterior shade inspired by the aforementioned Type 57 Roadster Grand Raid as well as a black hue with hints of truffle brown and subtle yellow accents throughout, which also pays homage to Ettore Bugatti. If you are wondering why the colour combination, Ettore chose the black and yellow combination for many of his personal cars.
The exterior is further complemented by a front horseshoe grille that creates a new 3D character like in the Chiron. The oil cooler intakes on the side have been moved from the engine air intakes and they’ve been placed on the roof, just behind the passengers.
The Mistral also comes fitted with two new roof-mounted engine air scoops.
Stepping inside, the Mistral features a brand new design complemented by a lightweight titanium treatment. The newly-designed door panels feature intricately woven leather, while the gear shifter is machined from a solid block of aluminium with a touch of wood and an amber insert with Rembrandt Bugatti’s famous ‘dancing elephant’ sculpture locked within
Under the Mistral’s bonnet lives the same 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 from the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ with a chaotic 1,176 kW. In the Chiron SS 300+, the engine propelled the supercar to 490 km/h in 2019. At this stage, Bugatti isn’t sharing any performance figures, but it says that there can only be one goal in mind, to become the fastest roadster in the world once more.
Bugatti plans to make only 99 examples of the W16 Mistral and each has already been spoken for at a price of about R85,446,250. The deliveries are expected to begin in 2024.
