This master’s degree thesis was developed in collaboration with McLaren Automotive, a British luxury car company based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK. The project focused on the investigation of the parameters affecting the performance of bolted structural joints, specifically a material stack including an adhesive layer, used in automotive component. The analysis and the experimental activity were carried out on CFRP/steel joints; the composite and the metallic material were joined using a bolt and an additional adhesive (epoxy glue). Particular attention has been paid to the definition of the most appropriate testing methods for the characterization of the joint preload.