1991 Ferrari F40

·      World Record for  Fastest Open Top Vehicle

·      Final iteration of Quad Turbo W16

·      One of 99 built

The Bugatti Mistral represents the final swan song of the quad-turbocharged W16 engine that has put the Bugatti name on the top pedestal of performance over the last two decades. Since the namesake was revived by Volkswagen, every single Bugatti has used an iteration of this engine layout and will be transitioning to hybrid powerplants in the future as the company has merged with electric carmaker Rimac. The Mistral was first unveiled to the public at The Quail in August 2022, and all 99 build slots were sold out almost immediately. While the Mistral isn’t fundamentally different than the previous Volkswagen era Bugatti’s, the Mistral shows incremental improvements in every aspect of the vehicle and driving experience, and recently set the world record for the fastest open top car, reaching a top speed of 283 MPH.

Unlike the Jesko on display which when behind the wheel can become a bit of a handful with brutally quick acceleration and rear wheel drive, the Mistral feels much more substantial and rooted to the ground. In comparison, the Mistral produces 400 more horsepower than the Jesko on 93 octane, but weighs about 1000 lbs. more, due to its much larger engine and all-wheel drive layout. Even as such, the Mistral driving experience is extremely smooth, allowing the driver to pilot the car around town at extreme ease. Even at incredibly fast speeds, the Mistral remains balanced, stable and confident, remaining straight as an arrow when accelerating past 200 MPH.

The Mistral is designed to be always driven without a roof, as the car does not come equipped with a standard roof at all. Instead, the Mistral is delivered with an “umbrella roof,” a very flimsy fabric cover for parking that, along with its carbon fiber prop, resembles an umbrella when off the car. Bugatti focused on enhancing the open top driving experience, adding air intakes right behind the driver and passenger headrests. Because of the four turbochargers, the noises that protrude from the intakes are simply jaw dropping. They are some of the most exotic wastegate and blow off valve sounds ever heard in an automobile, and they couldn’t be any closer to your ears.

The design of the Mistral feels similar to the past VW Bugatti’s, and could be the most attractive. The front-end design is similar, but more refined with its protruding familiar central radiator area and thinner, more aggressive headlights. On this dark green example, green carbon compliments the paint throughout the interior and exterior, with the copper striping seeming to just fall out of the matching interior. The taillights show off an all-new X design, with the Bugatti script that also glows when the taillights are active. Stepping inside, the interior quality is top notch with gobs of carbon and leather throughout.

Perhaps the most interesting detail inside the car is the miniature dancing elephant sculpture that can be seen inside the shift knob, a Jurassic Park style easter egg that traces its roots back to Rembrandt Bugatti.

All in all, Bugatti is sending out its W16 into the sunset the only way it knows how to; with the fastest and most luxurious hypercar it could build. The Mistral feels familiar, though feels much more advanced than even the Chiron of recent years. While the Mistral is far from a track car, it can tackle any driving environment with absolute ease, just as we would expect from Bugatti.

Specifications:

Engine: 8.0 Liter Quad-Turbocharged W16

Power: 1600 hp

Torque: 1180 ft lbs

Transmission: Seven-Speed Dual Clutch Automatic

Top Speed: 283 mph (World Record)

0-60: 2.3 seconds

Weight: 4300 lbs