Digital Engineering Rethinking Vehicle Development

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Dallara is known as a motorsport icon, but has also launched a street-legal vehicle with the Stradale. The company focuses on digital vehicle development and uses Creo from PTC for this purpose. The following article outlines the benefits that result from this.

From its headquarters in Varano de' Melegari in northern Italy, Dallara not only develops high-performance vehicles for the racetrack but increasingly also street-legal models like the Dallara Stradale. All vehicles share a consistently digitized development process—from the concept idea through aerodynamic design to the final lightweight construction component layout.

A Different Approach to Vehicle Development

The technical standard at Dallara is high, but the approach differs significantly from traditional OEM structures. Instead of integrating drive units into an existing architecture, the engineers at Dallara develop their vehicles starting from the powertrain. This methodology allows each vehicle to be viewed as a functional overall system—tuned for weight distribution, aerodynamics, and efficiency.

In doing so, the design teams benefit from an integrated, digital development process. Creo serves as a central tool to model and optimize the body, chassis, and interior structure in a single environment. The software enables the design of complex geometries with high precision and early validation through simulation. Changes can be implemented iteratively without compromising the consistency of the overall system.

Race Car Meets Road Vehicle

A striking example of this philosophy is the Dallara Stradale. The vehicle was developed to combine the driving characteristics of a race car with the everyday usability of a road vehicle. The design started in 2015, with the goal of creating an extraordinarily light, aerodynamically refined vehicle that is also street legal.

With lateral acceleration of up to 2G on standard tires, the Stradale sets new standards. The key to success lies not only in mechanical tuning but also in the consistent use of digital tools in the design process. The designers and engineers use Creo to align every line of the vehicle for minimal turbulence and maximum stability—in close cooperation with wind tunnel tests and virtual simulation environments.

Sustainability Begins in the Design Process

At the heart of vehicle development is not only performance but increasingly also energy efficiency. Dallara pursues a development approach where sustainability does not stand at the end of the value chain, but begins in the design. The vehicles are designed to be as lightweight as possible, materials are used selectively, and each component is optimized for its impact on air resistance and energy consumption.

Through the close integration of design, simulation, and analysis in Creo, this process can be efficiently replicated. The software allows for early exploration of different material and structural variants, enabling informed decisions. This helps to reduce energy consumption without compromising dynamics or safety.

Digital Development as a Driver

The advantages of digital development extend beyond the individual vehicle. Processes can be standardized, insights transferred between projects, and development teams networked across locations. Especially for a company like Dallara, which is active in international racing series such as IndyCar, Formula 2, Formula 3, and Super Formula—often as the sole chassis manufacturer—this means a strategic advantage.

Creo supports this approach with a modular, scalable CAD framework. From the concept phase to the production-ready drawing, all information remains consistent. Adjustments in the specifications or new aerodynamic requirements can be directly incorporated into the existing model. This accelerates development cycles and increases responsiveness to changing demands.

Promoting Young Talent in the Motor Valley

In addition to technical innovation, Dallara is also committed to knowledge transfer. In cooperation with four universities in the Emilia-Romagna region, nine master's degree programs in engineering have been developed. The aim is to specifically prepare young talent for the demands of vehicle development in the digital age—with a focus on simulation, materials science, aerodynamics, and CAD-based design.

Here, practical experience also plays a central role: students work with the same digital tools as the engineers at Dallara. This not only creates a direct connection to real vehicle development but also fosters an understanding of the relevance of integrative design processes—from the initial draft to the finished component.

Digital Development as an Enabler for Efficiency

Dallara exemplifies how high-performance engineering, sustainability, and digital transformation can be combined. The consistent use of PTC Creo not only enables excellent aerodynamic concepts and lightweight architectures but also makes complex developments manageable – both on the racetrack and in series vehicle production. It's not just technology that is the focus, but a systemic development approach that understands sustainability as an integral part of modern mobility. (se)

*Michele Del Mondo is Senior Director Global Advisor Automotive at PTC.

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