Lots of points here, lots of good stuff. A useful thread.
Strada beam shape: As I said, mine is an old one (Mk2 I think) so possibly they've changed recently. Certainly the positioning of emittors in the lens has changed. But I'm sure mine did not have a symmetrical beam. I remember trying to use it upside down and it was no good. But I haven't used it since I went dynamo a few years ago, so caveat lector.
Certification: Certainly many cyclists will pay for better beam shapes. The success of Exposure shows this! As do the many "German style" lights. But it's the beam shape (and brightness, battery life where applicable, build quality, etc) that people will pay a premium for. Meeting a particular standard doesn't necessarily guarantee a decent beam shape. Compare the B&M Cyo (non-Premium version) and a Luxos. Both meet the relevant standard but the Cyo's beam is not one I would willingly pay for: far too narrow.
Alignment to avoid dazzle:
All lights need proper set up to avoid dazzling other people! This definitely includes those which comply with Stvzo. A horizontal cut off is only horizontal if the light is correctly aligned. Annoyingly, not everyone realizes this, or some people just don't care.