Bugatti’s legendary 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 engine has added another impressive achievement to its history, setting a new open-top road car speed record. A specially-built Mistral in the one-off ‘World Record Edition’ configuration reached a top speed of 453.9 km/h (282.04 mph) at the Papenburg test track in northern Germany. This groundbreaking feat was accomplished with no roof, marking a significant milestone for the luxury automaker before retiring the engine.
The Mistral, driven by British top-speed specialist and Le Mans winner Andy Wallace, is based on the same platform as the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, which set the closed-car top speed record of 304.7 mph in 2019. Wallace pushed the Mistral to its limits, navigating the tricky high-speed circuit at Papenburg, which offered only 4 km of straights—half the length of those at Bugatti’s previous speed record venue, Ehra-Lessien.
Named after a southerly wind in France, the Mistral is a part of a limited run of 99 open-top models, each powered by the same 1,578-horsepower engine that powers the Chiron Super Sport. The Mistral features unique design elements, including vertical headlights inspired by the La Voiture Noire and a rear X-bar light reminiscent of the track-only Bolide. The car’s side intakes are smaller than the Chiron’s, allowing the W16 engine to breathe through twin ram air intakes positioned just behind the seats.
Unlike the usual record-setting location, Ehra-Lessien, Bugatti had to turn to Papenburg after its departure from Volkswagen and partnership with Rimac. Despite the shorter straights, Andy Wallace was able to maintain the necessary speed through the corners to achieve the record-breaking top speed.
The open top speed record is owned by Mistral
The Mistral now holds the open-top speed record, surpassing the previous holder, the Hennessey Venom GT Spyder, which reached 265.6 mph in 2016. Before that, the Veyron Vitesse set the record at 254 mph. The Mistral’s quoted top speed of “over 261 mph” now seems quite conservative in comparison to the actual result.
This particular Mistral is a one-of-one creation, commissioned by a dedicated Bugatti enthusiast who already owns a Veyron Super Sport, Vitesse, and Chiron 300+ in matching colors. The bespoke carbon-with-orange exterior was designed specifically for the record attempt, and now, with the speed record set, it will remain a unique collector’s item in the owner’s garage.
The record-breaking run was captured exclusively by Top Gear, which will share behind-the-scenes footage of the event and an in-depth review of the Mistral in the coming weeks. With this achievement, Bugatti continues to cement its legacy as a leader in automotive performance and innovation, leaving a lasting mark in the world of high-speed records.
