Sometimes I don’t really get the actions from some of the more exclusive automakers, why would you bother spending a lot of money to fly a car around the world to present it, when the entire production run is already sold out, even before the car was shown to the public months ago, it’s not like you still need to convince clients to sign an order, there are no more orders to sign, you’ve sold them all. Is it about marketing your next model as a disguise to show the sold-out one to VIP customers behind closed doors then?
As a Lamborghini enthusiast I have the same issue with the Huracan at this time, they showed the Huracan Tecnica, and will reveal the Huracan Sterrato in a few weeks, but the entire production until mid-2024 is already sold out too, and chances are there are very little to no slots available for the Sterrato right now, I know for a fact you can’t order the Tecnica anymore at the time of writing, and the same thing is happening with the Bugatti W16 Mistral now, by many considered to be the ‘convertible’ version of the Bugatti Chiron, the Mistral is a limited-edition open-top 1,600 PS beauty from Molsheim, just calling it a Chiron Spyder would be blasphemy, to be honest.
The bottom line is the fact we’re looking at a car that will only be built in 99 units, and more importantly, one that is considered to be the final W16 engine without electric help in the history of Bugatti, because as we all know, the future of supercars and hypercars is all about hybrid and even full EV, bringing in Rimac will surely come in handy, but it seems rumor has it the Chiron replacement will be a hybrid, and not a fully electric car like the Rimac Nevera, apparently it is too soon for an all-electric Bugatti EV.
Bugatti revealed the W16 Mistral to several of their high-net-worth clients well before the official public unveiling during Monterey Car Week of 2022, at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in California, priced at €5,000,000 before options and taxes, and with just 99 units to be made, the entire production run was already sold out in August 2022, and get this … not a single car has been built at the time of writing, the first units will only be delivered in early 2024, so there is almost a two-year waiting period on these, which seems to be normal at Bugatti, remember not a single Bolidehas been delivered yet either, and that track-only beauty was introduced in 2020.
The Bugatti W16 Mistral made her European debut at Chantilly Arts & Elegance a while ago, and now they showcased this magnificent car in the Middle East to both customers, and official media within the Arabian Peninsula, on invitation only naturally, these guests were offered an opportunity to admire the timeless elegance of W16 Mistral in real life, the impressive launch event was hosted at Dubai’s Waldorf Astoria. Ever since 2005, with the Bugatti Veyron, the famous W16 quad-turbo engine was used in every single Bugatti model but will make her last appearance in the Mistral.
Kostas Psarris, Regional Director, Middle East & Asia, Bugatti, said: “The Arabian Peninsula is one of Bugatti’s key sales markets, accounting for around a quarter of all orders received for Chiron. The United Arab Emirates also has the largest fleet of Bugatti Veyron in the world, with over 50 vehicles in the country. The enthusiasm for the hyper sports cars of Molsheim in the Middle East, including for our ultimate roadster, the W16 Mistral, is extraordinary.”
There is no denying the W16 engine will remain an important part of automotive history, even more so for the Bugatti brand, and we can only wait in anticipation what the future of hypercars from Molsheim, France will bring, but I’m sure we’ll be pleasantly surprised once we get to see the first teasers of a Bugatti Hybrid in the next year or so, for now, all we can do is admire the W16 Mistral some more, a car many of us will most likely never have the pleasure to see in real life.