Images: @qragos
Where most Concours d’Elegance unfold in gentle summer weather, spread across manicured lawns and private estates, St. Moritz takes a far more daring approach. Founded by Marco Makaus in 2019, The International Concours of Elegance, or I.C.E., reimagines the format entirely. Set high in the Swiss Alps, it is the only automotive event on the motoring calendar staged over two days on a frozen lake of solid ice. The concept feels inseparable from St. Moritz itself, a destination shaped for well over a century by visionaries like hotelier Johannes Badrutt, who famously convinced skeptical British travelers to trade their Mediterranean winters for the raw beauty and pure air of the Engadin Valley.
This past weekend, the frozen surface of the lake in the resort town, once again transformed into a high-altitude octane-fuelled crossroads where the worlds of avant-garde fashion, billionaires, motorsport legends, and heritage engineering all came together, in an Alpine atmosphere that was effortlessly elegant. There was something surreal about witnessing champagne flow and caviar being served by waiters gliding on ice skates, while some of the world's rarest automobiles ranging from vintage pre-war beauties and rally icons, were seen drifting alongside hypercars past an equally ecstatic audience braving it out in the sub-zero temperatures.
Several brands organized their own installations. Bugatti had a stunning lineup, including a Type 13, Type 35, and Type 37A. The modern variety was made up of three Veyrons Grand Sport Vitesse, an EB110, and three track-only Bolides. Rimac delivered the first Nevera R "Founder's Edition" in a public debut. Bugatti Design Director Frank Heyl spoke openly about how good it felt to see these cars being driven.
Maserati marked its 100th anniversary of the Trident badge with a strong presence, displaying the MC200 Cielo, GT2 Stradale, and the exclusive GranTurismo/GranCabrio Meccanica Lirica one-offs. The Trident also unveiled a one-off McPura Cielo 'Frozen Magma'. Pagani displayed a Zonda F Roadster, a Huayra Coupe, a BC Roadster, and a Utopia Coupe covering all three chapters of the Italian marque. Koenigsegg had a CC850 driven by founder Christian von Koenigsegg himself, whereas the famous CC Prototype, his first ever creation, made an appearance yet again.
The main event itself unfolded across two days: Friday kicked off with a static display and judging panel that read like a "who’s who" of the creative world. Fifty cars organized into five distinct categories took part: Barchettas on the Lake, Open Wheels, Birth of the Hypercar, Icons on Wheels, and Legendary Liveries. Key figures such as Maserati’s Klaus Busse, Pixar’s Jay Ward, and veteran judge Richard Adatto spent their morning scrutinizing the details.
Among the standouts, a 1993 Le Mans Blue Jaguar XJ220 chassis number 196 with just over 620 miles took top honors in the "Birth of the Hypercar" class. It was joined in the winner's circle by a 1976 Lancia Stratos for its legendary Alitalia livery, a 1949 Maserati 4CLT in the "Open Wheels" category, and a 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza, which looked perfectly at home in the "Barchettas on the Lake" class.
Saturday is when the event truly hit its stride, as the static beauty of the previous day gave way to the roar of engines and the sight of gentleman drivers sending vintage machinery into controlled slides. The lake played host to a Monte Carlo-winning Lancia Stratos and the legendary Audi Sport quattro S1 E2. Christian Geistdörfer, Walter Röhrl’s longtime co-driver, was among those behind the wheel. Other motorsport icons spanning rallying and hypercars included a 1986 Lancia Delta S4, a 1998 Nissan R390 GT1, and a Porsche 911 GT1, to name a few.
The atmosphere reached a fever pitch as racing icons and industry titans mingled on the ice, as figures like Christian von Koenigsegg and Mate Rimac were spotted in deep conversations with enthusiasts. Horacio Pagani drove one of his own cars before accepting the Icons on Wheels award. The action unfolded as the Patrouille Suisse jet team screamed overhead, cutting surgical lines through the blue sky with six F-5E Tiger II jets. Even the sound of the event was curated, with the "Best Sound" award going to the 1965 Pontiac Vivants. The McLaren F1 GTR "Lark" took home the "Hero Below Zero" award, whereas a 1967 Ferrari Dino 206 S took the Spirit of St. Moritz award.
By the time the sun began to dip on Saturday afternoon, the prestigious Best in Show trophy, a stunning piece designed by star architect Lord Norman Foster, was awarded to the 1937 Talbot-Lago T150C SS “Teardrop.” It was a fitting end to a weekend that celebrated the automobile not merely as a means of transport, but as a genuine work of art.
