The Bugatti Mistral reaches a staggering 282 mph, becoming the world’s fastest roofless car and marking the end of the iconic W-16 era.
The Bugatti Mistral has officially claimed the title of the world’s fastest open-top car, achieving an astonishing top speed of 282 mph. Essentially a roofless version of the Chiron, this 1578-horsepower powerhouse fulfilled Bugatti’s promise to break speed records for roadsters.
On November 9, Bugatti’s official test driver, Andy Wallace, took the Mistral to its record-breaking speed at the ATP Automotive Testing Facility in Papenburg, Germany. The high-speed run unfolded on a 7.64-mile oval track, where Wallace entered the banking at 124 mph before unleashing the car’s full power on the straight sections.
This achievement holds special significance for Bugatti, as it was the first record run attended by the vehicle’s owner. After the official speed test, Wallace treated the owner to an exhilarating ride, which Bugatti suspects might be the fastest passenger experience ever recorded.
The Mistral represents the end of an era for Bugatti, as it marks the final chapter for the brand’s iconic quad-turbo W-16 engine. Only 99 units of the Mistral will be produced, each starting at a staggering $5 million. The model’s design deviates from the Chiron with a more aggressive front end, but it retains the same monstrous 8.0-liter W-16 engine. This powerplant channels 1578 horsepower to all four wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Bugatti first introduced the Mistral in 2022, with a clear objective to surpass the 254-mph speed record set by the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse in 2013. With this latest milestone, the Mistral not only met but exceeded those high expectations.
