BUGATTI DROPS THE MIC AGAIN - SNATCHES OPEN-TOP SPEED RECORD WITH THE W16 MISTRAL AT MORE THAN 450 KM/H.
Bugatti’s relentless drive for performance has reached another world-record pinnacle. With a blistering top speed of 453.91 km/h, the W16 Mistral now holds the title as the fastest open-top car ever - a new chapter in Bugatti’s legendary history of speed and innovation. Don’t you love how these companies choose certain metrics to make things sound more impressive? When they quote power, they use horsepower because the figure is higher than Kilowatts, and when they quote speeds they use km/h over mph for the same reason. At any other time, the metric system is the devil. Anhoo, Bugattis are fast and powerful no matter what metrics are used. Bugatti has cemented its name in the high-speed hall of fame with iconic models like the Veyron 16.4 Super Sport World Record Edition, the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, and the Chiron Super Sport 300+. Now, the W16 Mistral joins these legends, demonstrating Bugatti’s unparalleled precision engineering. Achieving this feat at the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany, the W16 Mistral didn’t just break the record; it set it so high that it’s unlikely to be beaten again, well not with an ICE-powered production car. The Evolution of a Dream The journey began over 14 years ago when Bugatti’s Veyron 16.4 Super Sport hit 431.07 km/h in 2010, and then escalated in 2019 when the Chiron Super Sport 300+ topped 490.48 km/h in a closed-cockpit run. For open-top records, Bugatti had already made history with the Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse, which soared to 408.84 km/h. Now, the W16 Mistral has shattered that record, showcasing Bugatti’s continuous evolution in speed and engineering.
On November 9th, an electric (haha) atmosphere charged the Papenburg track. With Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac and other VIPs present, Bugatti’s record-breaking test pilot, Le Mans winner Andy Wallace, took control of the one-off W16 Mistral. After warming the bespoke tyres that cost more than a duplex in Fourways, Andy unleashed the full force of the W16 quad-turbocharged 8.0-litre to reach an unbelievable 453.91 km/h on the straight. Under the oversight of SGS-TÜV Saar GmbH, the record was officially verified. In a rare honour, the car’s owner (The Singh Collection), an aficionado of Bugatti’s record-breaking tradition, was on-site to witness the run and have massive anxiety. They even experienced a high-speed passenger run with Andy, coming close to the record-breaking speed - Possibly an unofficial record for the world’s fastest passenger ride in an open-top car. The €14 million Mistral wears Jet Orange paint, an evolution of Bugatti’s signature colour and defines each of Bugatti’s record-breaking models. Paired with visible black carbon fibre it looks pretty darn amazing. The cabin features matching orange accents. Reflecting on the historic run, Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, 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,” explained Andy Wallace. “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. A record like this pushes the boundaries of automotive innovation and requires immense focus, dedication, and teamwork to realize. It’s a true testament to the passion that everyone at Bugatti has for making history.”
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows the topless Chiron, otherwise known as the W16 Mistral, set a new world speed record for the fastest open-top car on the planet. Over 450 km/h is just freaking nuts: Bugatti W16 MISTRAL | Top-speed World Record for an Open-top Car (453.91 km/h) | Planet Car News
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