Meet the last W16-engined Bugatti hypercar, the Mistral roadster

meet the last w16-engined bugatti hypercar, the mistral roadster

Meet the last W16-engined Bugatti hypercar, the Mistral roadster

The rest of the world may be putting a leash on its designers, and simmering down their crazy concepts to be relatively tame when they do make production, but Bugatti does things differently. Welcome to the latest set of images for its forthcoming W16 Mistral hypercar, folks. And yes, our jaws still need lifting from the floor too.

It’s Bugatti’s first roadster since the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse back in 2012 and will be the French marque’s last-ever purely ICE-powered thoroughbred. Unless a really rich person comes along and asks for a one-off. And then their friend asks for another. But that’ll really, truly be the last-ever one. Maybe.

OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:

The all-new, all-electric Porsche Macan packs up to 1,130Nm

Mitsubishi Triton officially launched in PH, prices start at P1.134-M

meet the last w16-engined bugatti hypercar, the mistral roadster

Bugatti Mistral side view

PHOTO BY Bugatti

At its heart will sit the final rendition of Bugatti’s legendary W16 power plant, but woven around it is a completely redefined monocoque, leading to a noticeably more chiselled shape than before.

Emilio Scervo, chief technology officer at Bugatti, said: “The Chiron family was never intended to have a roadster model. That is why we had to start afresh when we decided to build the W16 Mistral, the ultimate tribute to our rich roadster history and our legendary W16 engine.”

meet the last w16-engined bugatti hypercar, the mistral roadster

Bugatti Mistral rear view

PHOTO BY Bugatti

Perhaps the most incredible thing about Mistral is that, despite the space-age aesthetics, it still retains the Bugatti ethos. That means big speed. “One of the primary challenges was to meet the goal of creating a roadster that has a top speed of 418kph and mixing this performance-defining quality with an experience in the cabin that is luxurious, refined and assured,” continued Scervo.

So, how has it been done? Bugatti’s boffins started by making sure most of the bolts and frames were as rigid but lightweight as possible, which is furthered by the use of composite materials.

meet the last w16-engined bugatti hypercar, the mistral roadster

Bugatti Mistral engine

PHOTO BY Bugatti

They then added a few bespoke touches to the Mistral – like a new advanced air intake, and carbon fibre ram induction scoops behind the headrests – to keep the body shape as fluid as possible when travelling at or close to Vmax. Unfortunately, these changes probably do little for you if/when a swarm of mosquitos hits you at that speed. Still, you’ll look pretty fly when it happens. Sorry, that was terrible.

meet the last w16-engined bugatti hypercar, the mistral roadster

Bugatti Mistral interior

PHOTO BY Bugatti

As the Mistral enters its production phase, it does so as the vehicle which brings the curtains down on a lineage of two-seat, open-top, ICE-powered Bugatti roadsters that stretches back to the mid-twentieth century, with vehicles like the Type 40 A and Type 55 Roadster. But as special as they are, we doubt the top hats of their respective eras would’ve gawped at it the way the snapbacks of today will at the Mistral. That speaks volumes about its design.

Note: This story first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.

OTHER NEWS

13 minutes ago

LIV Golf's Lee Westwood is at U.S. Senior Open for over-50 tour debut

13 minutes ago

Russia and Ukraine Conduct Prisoner Exchange

18 minutes ago

Inside Rebecca Judd's new plans for her fabulous $1.2million holiday pad on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula

18 minutes ago

Video: Julian Assange breaks down in tears as judge on US-controlled island declares him 'a free man' and sentences him to time served for espionage: WikiLeaks founder released without supervision for the first time in 14 years

18 minutes ago

Jeremy Allen White Teases ‘The Bear’ Season 3: Carmy “Never Seems To Be Able To Apologize Very Well”

21 minutes ago

Kansas City Chiefs announce new Christmas movie to be released on Hallmark

21 minutes ago

16 Nobel prize-winning economists warn Trump would 'reignite' inflation if he wins a second term

21 minutes ago

Secondhand EVs now cost less than used gas cars - as the electric vehicle backlash accelerates

22 minutes ago

Hopefully Jamaal Bowman’s defeat is the first against the radical left ‘Squad’

22 minutes ago

Healthy habits help Canucks’ Quinn Hughes reach new heights

22 minutes ago

We must change the prejudices of mainstream medicine against lifestyle intervention

22 minutes ago

Free-agent focus for the Columbus Blue Jackets

22 minutes ago

Linebacker Beverette, Montreal Alouettes off to solid start to CFL season

22 minutes ago

3 Reasons to Buy Cineplex Stock Like There’s No Tomorrow

23 minutes ago

Alex Meruelo walking away from ownership of NHL’s Arizona Coyotes

23 minutes ago

Influencer creates AI version of herself – and the results are disturbing

23 minutes ago

England coach Southgate targeted after a 0-0 draw with Slovenia at Euro 2024

23 minutes ago

Orioles prospect Jackson Holliday returns to the lineup in Triple-A after arm problems

23 minutes ago

Euro 2024: Austria top Group D ahead of France and Netherlands after rollercoaster finale

23 minutes ago

Harry Kane and John Stones insist England 'played a lot better' against Slovenia than they did in their first two Euro 2024 games, as the Three Lions snuck into top spot after another uninspiring stalemate

23 minutes ago

60 Stocks Under $50 New Investors Can Buy Confidently

23 minutes ago

Julian Assange walks free after making deal with US to plead guilty in remote Pacific island court

23 minutes ago

TFSA: 3 Canadian Stocks to Hold for a Lifetime

23 minutes ago

Soccer-Croatia's Modric wants to carry on despite Euro 2024 disappointment

23 minutes ago

James Hoye to be home plate umpire for All-Star Game on July 16 in Arlington, Texas

23 minutes ago

Gusty winds help spread fast growing central Oregon wildfire and prompt evacuations

23 minutes ago

2 TSX Dividend Stocks to Buy in June

23 minutes ago

George Latimer, a pro-Israel centrist, defeats Rep. Jamaal Bowman in New York Democratic primary

23 minutes ago

Uttarakhand CM wants PM to clear 24 power projects

23 minutes ago

An aircraft carrying WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has left Saipan heading to Australia

23 minutes ago

Mosquito warning to travellers and community members in northern WA

23 minutes ago

National housing agreement gains $9.3bn in funding for new home builds

23 minutes ago

Shire of Cue writes off $40,000 of unpaid rates for vacant properties

23 minutes ago

Broome’s famous Cable Beach closed after saltwater crocodile spotted

23 minutes ago

Camera IconJDRF Blue Tie Ball: Socials gallery from glamorous soiree

23 minutes ago

Best VPNs for Australia for privacy, streaming and gaming in 2024

26 minutes ago

'They're like nature's seawall' | We tag along with team assessing dune erosion after Tropical Storm Alberto

28 minutes ago

Iconic Metis musician Ray St. Germain passes away, his family says

29 minutes ago

Sophie Turner stars in first Joan teaser as master of disguise and infamous British diamond thief Joan Hannington for upcoming series

29 minutes ago

Yaraville West Primary School under fire over woke change to the national anthem that's leaving students confused