Bugatti’s final W16 heads to the Côte d’Azur to meet the wind that inspired its name
The mistral is apparently one of eight dominant winds that cover the Mediterranean Sea, blowing through the Rhone River valley to the Côte d’Azur and into the Gulf of Lion. It’s an incessant wind – we all know the type, badoom-tish – but is particularly strong during winter.
Which is why Bugatti has chosen this opportune moment to decant its €5m ode to internal combustion right into its path. Though named after a powerful wind, the Bugatti Mistral probably has the ability to make it nine dominant winds over the Med.
Because underneath that carbon fibre exterior lies the last non-electrified combustion engine Bugatti will build: an 8.0-litre 16-cylinder fossil churning out a colossal 1,578bhp and… oh you know the rest. It’s big, it’s powerful, it’s sold out and there’s a hybrid coming in its place.
Though, one does wonder if the mistral’s powerful wind channel feeds a greater, denser volume of air into the Mistral’s intakes; a “rush of air” as Bugatti explains. Guess the 99 owners will find out. Hold onto your hats, folks.