Bugatti’s W-16 era is now officially over.
The French hypercar maker unveiled the 99th and final Mistral on Thursday. The boundary-pushing roadster will be the last series-production vehicle to leave the marque’s Molsheim atelier with a W-16 in the engine bay.
It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the W-16 to Bugatti’s modern history. The engine—which features four banks of four cylinders in a W configuration—has powered every single one of the brand’s vehicles since it was taken over by the Volkswagen Group in 1998. That includes its first modern hypercar, the Veyron; its successor, the Chiron; and their many derivatives.
Bugatti Mistral “The Last of Its Kind”
Bugatti
But times are changing. Earlier this year, Porsche sold off its 45 percent stake in Bugatti Rimac—which is what Bugatti became after merging with Rimac in 2021—ending VW Group’s control over the automaker. In addition to that, the company’s next car, the Tourbillon, will be its first to feature the company’s new hybrid powertrain, which mates a three-foot-long, naturally aspirated V-16 with a trio of electric motors.
Which is why the final Mistral is also the final Bugatti, at least of the series-production variety (more on that in a bit) to feature a W-16 engine. Aptly dubbed “The Last of Its Kind,” the $5 million roadster is finished in a two-tone finish that combines Pearl with Sparkle. The interior, meanwhile, is done up in Magnolia and Grey Carbon Matt leather and features the signature of the automaker’s founder, Ettore Bugatti, stitched into each headrest.
Inside the Mistral “The Last of Its Kind”
Bugatti
As eye-catching as the Mistral is on the outside, its most beautiful feature remains its 8.0-liter W-16. The mechanical masterpiece produces 1,578 hp and 1,180 ft lbs of torque. Thanks to all that grunt the car can rocket from zero to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds and can hit a top speed of 282 mph. That last figure isn’t just a theoretical target either. The one-off Mistral World Record hit the mark in the fall of 2024, making it history’s fastest open-top production car.
While the Mistral represents the last official W-16 that Bugatti will build, there is, of course, a loophole. Those who’ve been up enough cache with the brand, and have extremely deep pockets, can commission a vehicle with the engine through the company’s new one- and few-off division, Programme Solitaire. In fact, the team’s first two cars, the Brouillard and FKP Hommage, both feature the mill.
Click here for more photos of the final Bugatti Mistral.
Bugatti
