
Many people who have traveled to the Rhone valley in France can thank the Mistral winds for the clear air. The gusts, which can reach upwards of 56mph, yet average around 30mph, have a way of ridding the sky of its clouds and any other pollutants in just a couple of hours. In a similar way, Bugatti’s latest model, which gets its name from these winds, is doing its part to clear the air as well.
Unveiled today at Monterey Car Week, the Bugatti Mistral still runs with, not just a traditional combustion engine, but the best combustion engine ever: the W16. However, it will be the last appearance ever made by the French marque’s road-goers as they transition to hybrid and electric engines. Sporting two V8s side by side, the W16 was first debuted for production in 2005 inside the formidable hypercar, the Veyron EB, which eventually went on to break the record for “fastest production model” in 2010. At its best, the 8.0L quad-turbocharged engine put out 1,578hp and a top speed of nearly 305mph with the Chiron Super Sport 300+ (sans limiter), a limited release of the nameplate that succeeded the Veyron.
With Bugatti’s final outing with the W16, it’s making sure to go out with a bang. The Mistral is an open-top roadster, the likes of which haven’t been seen by Bugatti since the Veyron era, which ended in 2015. While hardly any numbers are given for the new two-seater, we do know that it will utilize the same W16 engine as the record-breaking Chiron Super Sport 300+, with 1,600PS. The aesthetic inspiration for the car is the rather-angular 1934 Type 57 Grand Raid with a V-shaped windshield and black and yellow palette. We guess we can see it, but upon gazing at Bugatti’s beautiful swansong, we feel it’s rather prototypical.
The price tag on the vehicle is a mere €5,000,000 (~$5,019,325), but the point is moot; only 99 examples of the Bugatti Mistral will be produced, all of which have been reserved already. They are set to roll out in 2024.


