While the design looked to all intents and purposes like it could be an actual car, albeit an extremely high-end one, less consideration was needed for elements like airbags, packaging of the engine, drivetrain and even the interior when the concept was just a shell with numbers for a physics model typed in to the game code – building and developing the real thing represented an entirely different challenge. Lamborghini unleashed its creative power and introduced the Aventador in 2011, sending the decade-old Murcielago to a well-deserved retirement. Alongside the pre-marketing activity, which led to those 100s of names on the pre-order list, Bugatti tested the Chiron extensively across several continents, ensuring whatever the conditions it was head and shoulders above the competition.ĭesign was another priority the engineers had to work around. Operating beyond the known best standard in any field is incredibly tough new battle lines had to be drawn. With a name honoring Louis Chiron, Bugatti’s grand prix driver in the 20s and 30s who cleaned up at virtually all the major races he contested behind the wheel of their cars, the stakes were raised even higher. The actual term "Mistral," and what inspired Bugatti to name their ultimate roadster after it, is that in the old Occitan dialect of Languedoc, it means "Masterly." Most importantly, despite the fact that the Mistral wind can bring sudden storms with it, for the most part it accompanies clear skies and fresh weather, which is what you want when you're roaring down the French motorways with the top down!ĩ9 units of the Mistral will be made, with all build slots already sold at a staggering €5 million each, before any personalization. They are also a "ceaseless wind," in that they are constantly blowing, all day, all night, every day of the year, due to the unique topography of the Western coast of France. These winds will often exceed 40 MPH (65 KPH) sustained, and can blow as hard as 115 MPH (185 KPH) in the Winter and Spring. Yet.Īs to the name of the model line, the Mistral is named after the fierce NorthWesterly wind that blows down from Southern France into the Gulf of Lion in the Northern Mediterranean. Using all of that knowledge, Bugatti markets the Mistral, and has a very good reason to do so, as "the fastest roadster in the world." To run down why, it's simply because the W16 will be turned up to 1,600 PS (1,578 HP), through a bespoke 7-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission to all four wheels, and with the top will howl through 200 MPH. Despite appearances, it is not simply a roadster version of a Chiron, but an entirely new design based on research and development done during the Chiron's lifetime, especially the Super Sport and Bolide. Also known as the 2024 Bugatti W16 Mistral, the Mistral has the distinction of being the final model line to carry the now-legendary 8.0L quad-turbocharged W16 that started with the Veyron.
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