Street Cred

When we drove the Dallara Stradale on track in Italy last year it impressed us, but didn’t set our world alight. On tough British B-roads, however, it really comes alive...

- Jethro Bovingdon

THE LAST TIME I SAW A DALLARA STRADALE was at the Nardò test track in southern Italy (evo 250). A battle-worn prototype, not even the trippy black and white shapes and spirals of its vinyl ‘disguise’ could hide the scuffs, scrapes and bruises that told of countless laps of the brilliant handling track and the blood, sweat and tears of those developing the very first road car to bear the legendary Dallara name. It looked tough and drove tougher still, a clenched fist of aerodynamic grip, rippling torque, turbo fizz and shriek and an endurance racer’s unbending consistency. I left it with a sense of awe but also detachment.

Somehow this highly specialised product of the engineering brains of Dallara, under the guidance of founder Giampaolo Dallara himself and with input from racer Marco Apicella and legendary test driver Loris Biccochi, seemed like a technical exercise and celebration rather than a real car. I imagined collectors with a fetish for Miuras, maybe a Chiron or two tucked up in the underground lair and a Ferrari 333SP on a transporter locked and loaded to head to Spa or Paul Ricard at a moment’s notice, buying the Stradale simply because… well, how could you not? It’s Giampaolo’s car and if you know the man and his story and have the means, then you have to buy a Stradale. I fell into the trap of imagining the 600 built would be as much a sign of deference to the great man as a car to enjoy on road or track. In fact, I suspected I’d never see or drive one again.