Bugatti Signals the Beginning of the End for the W-16 Engine

The W-16 era is coming to an end. Bugatti has given us two decades of quad-turbo insanity by mounting a massive 8.0-liter engine in its record-breaking hypercar duo: the Veyron and Chiron. Both have spawned their fair share of derivatives over the years, including this Chiron-based Mistral. The roadster is sadly the last of the W-16 breed. Deliveries have now started, with the first two cars heading to buyers from the United States.

The US-bound cars have a contrasting finish as one is painted in a sinister Black Carbon while the other adopts a White Glacier look with blue and red accents. Their cabins are also vastly different since the black Mistral gets Bugatti Light Blue Sport leather upholstery, whereas the other car continues the white look inside. Even the engine covers have been personalized – with matte accents for the black car and full carbon fiber with polished aluminum accents for the white one.

The factory in Molsheim, France, is making only 99 units of the fastest roofless production car, each capable of hitting 282 mph (453.91 km/h). The W-16 epilogue follows the Bolide, a track-only Chiron that served as the most radical Bugatti in the Volkswagen Group era. After the final Mistral is assembled, the new Bugatti Rimac company will focus on the Tourbillon and its V-16 engine.

The all-new hypercar keeps the cylinder count but ditches the four turbochargers in favor of a naturally aspirated setup co-developed with Cosworth. The Tourbillon is a hybrid with three electric motors since even Bugatti must comply with increasingly stricter emissions regulations. The new V-16 screams to 9,000 rpm, making it far more rev-happy than the Chiron after eliminating forced induction.

The W-16 will undoubtedly be missed, but the V-16 is already shaping up to be a worthy successor. It also might help Bugatti finally crack the 500 km/h barrier. That’s 310 mph. The newcomer will be far more exclusive. Bugatti made 450 Veyrons and 500 Chirons, but the Tourbillon is capped at just 250 examples. Deliveries start in 2026.

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