Bugatti W16 Mistral, the last example closes the era of the W16 engine
Bugatti concludes production of the W16 Mistral, the roadster born as the last tribute to the famous W16 engine. The final example left the Molsheim Atelier, bringing the total number of cars produced to 99 and symbolically closing a chapter that began with the Veyron and continued with the Chiron.
The end of production comes a few days after the inauguration of La Manufacture, the new atelier intended to accommodate the future production of the Bugatti Tourbillon. For the French manufacturer it is therefore a real generational transition: on the one hand the farewell to the W16, on the other the start of a new phase in its history.
A record-breaking roadster
Unveiled at Monterey Car Week in 2022, the Bugatti W16 Mistral was conceived as the brand's last road car equipped with the W16 engine.
In November 2024, the model also set an important world first. With Andy Wallace at the wheel, the W16 Mistral World Record Car reached 453.91 km/h on the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg circuit, becoming the fastest open-top production car in the world.
Series production began in early 2025 and many examples were developed through the Bugatti Sur Mesure program, with configurations created at the request of individual customers.
The latest example between heritage and customization
The latest W16 Mistral features a two-tone body in "Pearl" and "Sparkle" shades, combined in the passenger compartment with "Magnolia" and "Grey Carbon Matt".
An internal plaque bears the words "The last of its kind", accompanied by the silhouette of the car, to underline its symbolic value as the last Bugatti road car with a W16 engine. Numerous details also pay homage to Ettore Bugatti. His signature appears embroidered on the headrests, on the aluminum door sills and inside the bonnet.
The armrest also includes a crystal plate made with Lalique, called "Spirit of the Wind" and inspired by the historic relationship between Ettore Bugatti and René Lalique.
Finally, among the most personal elements is a falcon head on the gear lever, chosen by the owner as a symbolic reference to the Middle East and also taken up through embroidery on the door panels.
With the release of the last of the 99 units from the Molsheim Atelier, the W16 Mistral definitively closes the engine season that for over twenty years has defined the technical and performance identity of modern Bugatti.
By the editorial staff of Avion Luxury Magazine
Text source and photo: Bugatti Home Press
Photo: Copyright © Bugatti Automobiles SAS
