- Bugatti W16 Mistral sets new world record
- Fastest open-top road legal car ever
- Hits a speed of 282 mph
- Takes crown from the Hennessey Venom GT Spyder
Bugatti’s astonishing W16 Mistral has been handed a new speed world record for an open-top road car, hitting an eye-watering 282 mph, or 453.91 km/h.
The W16 Mistral is an 8.0-litre, 1,600 PS, quad-turbo hypercar first unveiled in 2022 and named after the famous wind that blows into the Mediterranean Sea from France.
Despite the fact there’s no roof whatsoever (other than a clip-on fabric affair for when you get caught in a downpour) the W16 Mistral cost a staggering £4.15m while being strictly limited to just 99 units globally.
In standard form, the W16 Mistral will accelerate from 0-62 mph in 2.3 seconds and then on to an electronically limited top speed of 261 mph.
But here a derestricted ‘World Record Car’ wearing bespoke high-performance tyres rocketed around the ATP Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany, with Brit pilot and Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andy Wallace behind the wheel.
Oxfordshire’s Andy explained: “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.”
How much is the one-of-a-kind Bugatti W16 Mistral World Record Car, which comes complete with unique accents on the lower body and wheels in vibrant ‘Jet Orange’?
Bugatti quotes a figure of €14m - or £11.6m. You could buy a fleet of 580 Suzuki Swifts with the same amount of money.
So what makes the feat even more jaw-dropping is the fact that the vehicle’s owner was present for the occasion and watching from the side of the track - presumably with heart in mouth!
Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, added: “Since the inception of Bugatti in 1909, the marque has sought to supersede the perceived realms of possibility in luxury, elegance, and performance. The Bugatti World Record Cars throughout the marque’s history have represented the epitome of speed and power, setting new boundaries and redefining again and again, what Bugatti vehicles are capable of. And now, with the unparalleled achievement of the W16 Mistral World Record Car etched into the history books, we see history not just repeating itself, but new history made.”
Which car held the open-top speed record before the Bugatti W16 Mistral?
That’ll be the open-top Hennessey Venom GT Spyder, which managed a top speed of 265.6 mph at the US Navy’s 2.9 mile long runway in Lemoore, California, in 2016.
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