Modern Bugatti Established Its Reputation with the W16. Now, It Will Be Phased Out.
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The iconic engine that propelled Bugatti into the realms of contemporary record-setting supercars is no longer in production. On Thursday, Bugatti declared that the last W16 Mistral had exited the factory, signaling the end of the unique engine that has powered every Bugatti since the brand's revival by the Volkswagen Group at the beginning of the century.
This revival, much like the quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W16 engine itself, was conceived by former VW Group CEO Ferdinand Piëch, who also advocated for the acquisitions of Bentley and Lamborghini. According to the company’s narrative, before even deciding to resurrect Bugatti, Piëch fantasized about a colossal engine, sketching a naturally aspirated 18-cylinder giant constructed from three VW VR6 blocks while on a Shinkansen high-speed train in Japan.
Convincing Piëch to change his mind was a tough task, but thankfully someone managed to influence him in this case. Following Volkswagen's acquisition of the Bugatti name (after a previous unsuccessful revival attempt that resulted in the EB110 and the halted EB112 sedan), the aim was to equip a car with a 1,000 metric horsepower engine while maintaining the iconic horse-collar grille. The intricate W18 design, which would have displaced 6.2 liters and produced only 547 hp, was swapped for the force-fed W16 design which was first tested in 2001.
This engine enabled the Veyron to set production car speed records in its initial 16.4 model (253 mph) and later in the Super Sport variant (267 mph). An extensively revised version powered the Chiron to its own series of records, including a remarkable 304 mph top speed for the specially engineered Super Sport 300+ version, making it the first production car to exceed the 300 mph mark.
Bugatti didn't originally plan to produce a Chiron roadster, but the manufacturer never passes up on a chance to create a high-end, limited-edition vehicle. Thus, to properly honor the W16, a rapid development program was initiated to build the Mistral. This roadster, priced at $5 million, made its debut at the 2022 Monterey Car Week and set a new record for open-top cars with a speed of 282 mph in 2024, powered by a 1,578-hp variant of the famed W16. The first of 99 customer vehicles was delivered in 2025. The final car features a subtle two-tone Pearl and Sparkle exterior, inscriptions declaring it “the last of its kind,” and a dashboard plaque designating it as the last W16-powered Bugatti.
The transition between eras is seldom this clear-cut. Just days prior to the completion of the last Mistral, Bugatti hosted a ribbon-cutting event for La Manufacture, the facility that will produce its upcoming supercar. The Bugatti Tourbillon still boasts 16 cylinders, but they are now arranged in a more customary “V” configuration rather than the “W” layout that was once a signature of the VW Group at the direction of CEO Mate Rimac.
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