Double Apex got behind the wheel of the Dallara Stradale during a recent visit to Europe. 

A few months ago we we spent some time in Italy. While there we engaged with the Italian motoring/motorsport industry. Among the companies we visited were Pagani and Dallara. The latter is a firm that specialises in composites and aerodynamics primarily for the motorsport industry. We visited the company’s museum for a walk through its storied past, which you can see at this link. Even cooler, is that we were given the opportunity to drive the Dallara Stradale, the company’s first road car.

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Lightweight Machine

Dallara has been consulting to the motorsport industry for decades. Its racecars have competed in just about every category from feeder series to Le Mans and Indy all the way to Formula 1. The company has, to a lesser degree, also lent its expertise to automakers. Clients include Ferrari, McLaren and Maserati. Vehicles that have been dusted with the Dallara special dust include the Alfa Romeo 4C, KTM X-Bow and even the Bugatti Veyron.

A few years ago, to celebrate the founder’s 81st birthday, the company used its extensive know-how to create the Stradale. This carbon-fibre machine weighs less than 900 kg. Additionally, the body was shaped in the in-house wind tunnel using the firm’s extensive experience in this field. As a result the Stradale has almost as much downforce as its mass. A Ford-sourced 2,3-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine powers the Stradale. The engine produces 294 kW and 500 N.m of torque. A six-speed transmission sends power to the rear axle. Buyers can choose between manual or automated versions of the same transmission. The latter has paddle shifters on the steering wheel for cog-swapping duties.

Click here to watch our video of driving the Pagani Huayra BC Coupe.

Getting to Grips

Dallara is based in the hometown of its founder Giampaolo Dallara, Varano de’ Melegari, which is about two hours south of Milan. As a result, much of the car’s development work was carried out in this mountainous area. Our managing editor spent some time at the small-scale production facility where the Stradale is made. After which he got to experience the Stradale alongside the company’s test driver and from the driver’s seat. You can learn all about his experience in the video below.

Apologies for the less-than-ideal audio track on this video.