75-Year-Old Jay Leno drives world's fastest open-top car Bugatti Mistral at 280+ MPH; fans call it 'beautiful machine’

Jay Leno, a popular American television host and comedian, recently got an opportunity to experience the world's fastest open-top production car, the Bugatti Mistral. The comedian described the experience as surprisingly effortless. The previous year, the Mistral hypercar reached an impressive top speed of 282 mph on a high-speed test track in Germany. Despite its extreme performance, the 75-year-old compares the driving experience to that of a Miata—smooth and approachable.

According to DuPont REGISTRY, the Mistral may not be light or nimble in the conventional sense, weighing in at nearly two tonnes (1,977 kg or 4,359 pounds), yet it defies expectations with its remarkable agility. At speeds exceeding 280 mph, the hypercar reacts so sharply and smoothly that it momentarily tricks your mind into ignoring the laws of physics.


Despite being powered by the massive W16 engine, the Mistral feels so surprisingly light to Leno that he compares it to the lightweight MX-5 Miata. "This feels like a Miata," he said in the viral YouTube video.

However, both cars have their own unique appeal, but the comparison remains intriguing, especially when you consider that even the expensive Miata is roughly 131 times cheaper than the Mistral's hefty $5 million (Rs 41.6 crore) price tag, as per Auto Evolution.

This particular Bugatti Mistral was featured on the Audrain Museum Network channel, with Jay Leno behind the wheel and his long-time friend Donald Osborne as passenger. In the video, the driver goes beyond just showcasing raw power; it celebrates the final and most elegant chapter of Bugatti's legendary W16 engine.



The Bugatti Mistral marks the brand's long-awaited return to open-top driving, becoming its first roadster since the 2012 Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse. The exclusive hypercar pays homage to the elegant 1930s Type 57 Grand Raid Usine, a rare, Art Deco-inspired masterpiece of which only 10 were ever produced.

What truly sets the Mistral apart from the other similar cars is its 8.0-litre W16 engine and a bold defiance of the industry's shift towards downsizing. Additionally, it is equipped with four turbochargers; the engine delivers a jaw-dropping 1,578 horsepower (1,600 PS), which makes it a high-performance tribute to Bugatti's engineering legacy.

While Leno, who has driven just about every kind of performance car imaginable, lauds its balance and manoeuvrability. "There should be a sign on the dashboard that says, Please inhale before accelerating," jokes Donald Osborne, CEO of the Audrain Group, who joined Leno during the drive.



Let's take a look at the key features of the Bugatti Mistral and why there is so much hype around it:

• The ultimate roadster: According to HR Owen, the Bugatti W16 Mistral is the final swansong of one of the most ambitious powertrains ever made. With an 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 engine, the car is powered by the definitive version, first introduced on the Chiron Super Sport 300+. The Mistral has 1,600 hp, allowing for a top speed of 420 km/h.
• Distinctive in every detail: The hypercar is developed with careful attention paid to Bugatti's 'Form Follows Performance' design language, the W16 Mistral. The top line of the windscreen and side windows flows purposefully around the side air intakes.
• Focused luxury: The interior of the W16 Mistral draws inspiration from the Chiron, refined to offer a blend of sophistication and luxury while maintaining practicality.

As per CarWale, the Bugatti Mistral is not available in India. It is a limited edition, open-top hypercar, with only 99 units produced; that too, all of them have been sold.

The Mistral is not being produced for any specific market, including India. While Bugatti does have a presence in India with models like the Chiron, the Mistral is not part of their current or future Indian offerings.

FAQs

Q. How does Mistral’s interior design differ from the Chiron, and what unique touches does it feature?

According to NewsCars, the Mistral’s cabin inherits much of its layout from the Chiron but includes bespoke refinements characteristic of Bugatti’s craftsmanship.

Q. How is the interior optimised for high-speed driving?

While the W16 Mistral’s cockpit delivers luxury and elegance, it’s also designed for functionality at velocities up to 420 km/h (261 mph), as per Motor1.

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