Bugatti’s W16 Mistral is a car that attempts to combine heritage with cutting-edge technology, its design paying homage to Bugattis of old whilst also pushing the boundaries of modern styling and engineering. To coincide with that philosophy, Bugatti brought the Mistral to Tokyo, Japan – a city that’s also known to lie at the intersection of history and modernity – on the latest stop in its world tour.
Following its stops in North America,
Europe, and the Middle East, the car finally made it to Asia. This Japanese leg
of the tour included such destinations as the Kanda Myojin Shrine, one of the
oldest temples in Tokyo, Oishi Park, a park with a view of Mt. Fuji, and Gora
Kadan, a former retreat of the Imperial Family of Japan.
The W16 Mistral is a car of superlatives.
At a price of US$ 5 million and a production run of only 99 examples, there’s no
denying it’s exclusive, and it’s powered by an equally exotic motor. As its
name suggests, it’s powered by a quad-turbo W16 engine like all the other
Chiron-derived Bugattis. What its name doesn’t let on, though, is that it will
be the last W16-powered Bugatti ever. Nevertheless, the powerplant makes a
monstrous 1,578 hp and 1,600 Nm of torque,
rocketing the Mistral to a top speed of 420 km/h. And seeing as it’s
a roadster, that can be accomplished with the wind blowing through your hair.
Not a bad way to send off the W16.
