Bugatti showed its final internal combustion engined car at “The Quail: a Motorsport Gathering” in Monterey today, dubbing it the W16 Mistral, and announcing that the entire production run of 99 vehicles is already sold out.
The W16 Mistral is a 1,600-hp roadster based closely on the Chiron, and will have a net price of €5 million (US$5 million), with deliveries starting in 2024. The entire production series of the W16 Mistral has already been sold out.
“For the final appearance of Bugatti's legendary W16 engine, it was clear to us that we had to develop a roadster. More than 40 percent of all automobiles ever made by Bugatti have been open-top vehicles, forming a long line of performance icons that are still revered around the world to this day,” said Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac.
“In the era of the Bugatti Chiron 1 there was no roadster until today. The launch of the W16 Mistral now continues the legacy, fueled by tremendous demand from our customers for a whole new way to experience the mighty performance of our iconic engine. Inspired by over a century of open legends, the W16 Mistral opens the next chapter in the history of Bugatti roadsters.”
The roadster is named after the famous offshore wind that blows off the Mediterranean in southern France and famously also lends its name to the long and very fast Mistral Straight at Circuit Paul Ricard.
The W16 Mistral uses the final version of the 1,600 hp W16 engine, and hence offers greater performance that no other open top vehicle has matched before. The Chiron's existing monocoque was not simply removed above the A-pillars to make room for the new open design. It has been reshaped to create a more rounded silhouette without sacrificing performance.
“We know that the W16 Mistral will play an important role in Bugatti's history. Because it marks the last time that what is perhaps the greatest powertrain in automotive history will be used in a production car. We as a design team were highly motivated to deliver styling that immediately conveys this significant moment and were inspired by some of the most beautiful roadsters in Bugatti history,” says Achim Anscheidt, Bugatti Design Director.
Be sure to explore the image gallery for this article where there are two dozen images of the new Mistral.
The most expensive ‘til now - not extremely limited edition - Bugatti has been priced at what, $3.6 mil? And even that was limited to 30 copies. An even $5 mil price seems appropriate. The last thing Bugatti wants is to not sell out at a price of $15 mil for each car.
VW’s Bugatti is a legacy of now dead, brand collector Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, just like Ducati was. Nobody, even inside VW, ever seriously believed these two brands would be serious contributors to the VW bottom line. They are boutique brands collected out of Piëch pride.