Bugatti W16 Mistral Needs Just One More Thing To Break Speed Records

Nearly two years ago, Bugatti revealed the W16 Mistral, boasting that it had been designed in just nine months with the aid of virtual reality. VR is all good and well, but before you convince billionaires to part with $5 million and promise a roofless top speed of over 260 mph, you need to validate everything that has been calculated theoretically. Each of those 99 buyers can be assured that Molsheim holds safety and excellence in the utmost regard, and after an exhaustive testing process, the W16 Mistral is finally approaching the development finish line.

We can only imagine how difficult it has been to balance performance, wind noise, and style, but Bugatti is pulling off the remarkable balancing act with aplomb. As a reminder, this is the last roadgoing home of the W16 engine, but the insane Bolide will extend its legacy onto the racetrack.

Every Element Has Been Developed To The Nth Degree

The first modern Bugatti and the first car in the world to feature an 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W16 engine, the Bugatti Veyron was eventually offered as a roofless Grand Sport variant, but there was no such luck for those wanting to feel the sun on their faces from behind the wheel of a Chiron. And although the W16 Mistral shares a powertrain with the Chiron, it required the creation of a new monocoque. Bugatti is not known for cutting corners, and it won’t get complacent just because this is the end of an era. As such, several intensive crash tests have been successfully undertaken, enabling homologation both in Europe and North America.

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Bugatti also reports that aerodynamic evaluations were completed all the way back in October last year. Since then, the engine and transmission have been tested on the dyno, and now the time has come for the final tests to assess safety, emissions, endurance, and the overall drivability of the completed product. One prototype has already covered nearly 20,000 miles, and the terrain has varied between high-altitude mountain passes and sea-level cruises, as well as “heavy traffic conditions,” where the roofless hypercar surely caused a stir. Another 3,100 miles or so will be spent on the track, with a targeted goal of around 25,000 miles for just this one development car.

Bugatti Faces The Same Challenges As Hennessey

Bugatti laments that it is very challenging to find a stretch of road upon which the W16 Mistral can stretch its legs fully, despite access to the Ehra-Lessien test track where previous Bugatti records have been set. That said, record-chasing top speed rival Hennessey (creator of the Venom F5 Roadster) cannot smile too smugly just yet, as Bugatti “is confident that the Mistral will break records and exceed any expectations.” When Bugatti revealed the exquisite Tourbillon, we couldn’t help but notice that its front end was very similar to that of the W16 Mistral, and both have much sharper noses than the Chiron. With less frontal area to cut through the air, Bugatti says it becomes much easier to unlock more speed, and that effect becomes pronounced with a lower roof height, too.

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We can’t wait to see just how much further beyond 260 mph this thing can really go. We also can’t wait to see what colors and finishes customers choose. We liked the black shown at the roadster’s reveal, and we were dazzled by the new gold finish presented on the Mistral a year ago. Now, in a sky blue shade with red highlights, the W16 Mistral gains a new facet. Let us know what you think of the looks – and what you think its ultimate top speed could be – in the comments below.