Engineering Without Compromise — The Dallara Stradale

For most manufacturers, road cars are built with compromise — a nod to comfort, a dash of civility, a concession to real-world practicality. But Dallara isn’t most manufacturers. After spells at Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini, where he helped develop the Miura, followed by decades of building some of the world’s most successful racing machines, Gian Paolo Dallara finally decided to put his name on something with number plates.

The result is the Dallara Stradale, an obsessive pursuit of lightness, precision and control, wrapped in carbon fibre and aerodynamic intent. No frills, no fluff, just engineering in its purest form in pursuit of creating one of the most exhilarating driving experiences, whether on road or track.

The Numbers

The Stradale (Italian for road) might be street legal, but it was born from race car DNA, using Dallara’s vast experience from Le Mans prototypes as well as IndyCar and even Formula 1. Thanks to a carbon fibre monocoque and extensive composite bodywork, it only weighs around 880kg and its chassis stiffness rivals that of full-blown racing cars.

That minuscule weight is propelled by a very healthy 400hp from a 2.3-litre turbocharged Ford EcoBoost engine, which in a much lower state of tune powered the Mk3 Ford Focus RS. What that means is a ridiculous power-to-weight ratio in the region of 455hp per tonne, around 25% more than a Porsche 992 GT3 RS. Speaking of which, the Stradale laps the Top Gear test track two seconds faster than the GT3 RS and is said to rival GT4 race car lap times on a typical circuit.

Whilst it’ll hit 62mph in 3.2 seconds, even with a manual gearbox, and a totally irrelevant top speed of 174mph, its massive downforce is a big part of the equation that makes it so fast. In its ‘winged’ configuration, it can generate up to 820kg of downforce — nearly its own bodyweight again! So whilst its lap times are on par with GT4, it can actually corner faster than many GT3 race cars.

Design and Engineering

The Stradale uses a clever modular body concept, meaning you can configure it in four forms, all based on the same rigid carbon tub:

• Barchetta — Open-top with no windscreen
• Roadster — Open top with a small windscreen)
• Targa — With roof panels
• Coupe — With gullwing doors and full windscreen

So far, we’ve focused on the numbers, but really, the Stradale is more about the experience than the pace. No fills, pure function. There’s no power steering, no radio, no infotainment at all in fact, and even the doors are optional! Much like a race car, the majority of the controls are integrated into the steering wheel.

We also mentioned aero, and with such experience in racing, this is where Dallara’s geekery comes into its own. The huge optional rear wing and underbody design work together to adapt airflow and provide remarkable grip without electronic trickery. If you’d prefer a cleaner design and/or a more playful demeanour from the Stradale, you can opt not to spec the rear wing.

Fun Facts

Happy 80th

The Stradale was released in 2017 to celebrate founder Gian Paolo Dallara’s 80th birthday. It’s a culmination of a very admirable life’s work in automotive and motorsport engineering, and I think you’ll agree, a birthday present we would all aspire to receiving at that age!

Dallara Built Everything

The entire car, from the carbon tub to the aerodynamics, bar of course the engine, is designed and manufactured in-house in Varano de’ Melegari, Italy, using the same facilities as their race cars.

Track First, Street Second

Although it’s street-legal, the majority of owners use their Stradale almost exclusively on track days. Dallara even offers factory driver training and simulator sessions for owners to get the most from the insane performance on offer.