The 282mph Bugatti Mistral is the world’s fastest roadster
A swansong for Bugatti’s W16, the Mistral has now joined the Veyron and Chiron with a record-breaking top speed of its own
Starting with the Veyron Super Sport and its 268mph record in 2010, Bugatti has achieved an impressive top speed record streak over the last 14 years. While the W16 power plant responsible for these achievements has reached the end of the line, it has managed one final run in the Mistral runout special.
Driven by Bugatti’s chief test driver Andy Wallace, the Mistral hit a staggering 282mph (453.91kmh) at ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg in Germany earlier this month. Not only is this quicker than the Veyron Super Sport’s original record, it did it without a roof, making it the world’s fastest open-top car – this puts it 28mph ahead of the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse with its previous 254mph record.
> New Bugatti Tourbillon – 1775bhp, V16-engined Chiron successor shown at Goodwood
Unlike the Chiron Super Sport 300+, this Mistral borrows its striking orange and black paint scheme from the original Veyron Super Sport, with Jet Orange lower elements contrasting with exposed black carbonfibre. The same theme continues in the cabin, with a black and orange theme throughout.
While changes made to the record car haven’t been disclosed, the standard Mistral features the same 1577bhp, 1180lb ft W16 powertrain as the Chiron Super Sport 300+. A total of 99 standard cars were sold at £5m a piece, but just a single Mistral World Record Edition has been created for one lucky customer, priced at €14m…
For this sum, this customer also had the opportunity to witness the record run, and for the first time, ride as a passenger alongside Andy Wallace for a run not far from the same speed achieved for the record. Unofficially, Bugatti says that this likely makes it the world’s fastest passenger ride.
Following the record run, Andy Wallace said: 'Throughout the testing program leading up to this moment, it was incredible to feel how stable the car felt – I got the sense that it wanted to go faster. And when it came to the moment itself, the experience was overwhelmingly thrilling; feeling the elemental forces from the open-top cockpit, the sound of the immense W16 engine emanating from the air scoops next to my ear – it made the achievement incredibly emotional.’
