Why The I.C.E. St. Moritz is a Must-See for Car Enthusiasts

It was the dream that had been calling to me for years—to see The I.C.E. in St. Moritz, a kind of Concours d’Elegance for classic cars, but on ice. I had imagined it as a wintry counterpart to the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, held annually along the sun-dappled shores of my beloved Lake Como, while transposed onto a vast, glacial stage—an ephemeral theatre of vintage automotive grandeur.

The I.C.E. St. Moritz was a long-awaited pilgrimage, an event I had yearned to witness and followed since its conception. It began as an intimate affair for a select circle of connoisseurs, then expanded into something grander—only to be thwarted by the pandemic. The much-anticipated 2024 edition, promising to be the first truly spectacular iteration, was cruelly aborted by the very element that was meant to host it: an unforgiving deluge of snowfall. Even the most determined devotees (myself included) had managed to arrive, only to find those exquisite cars confined to their garages.

Thus, the 2025 edition had no choice but to rise from the drifts and deliver nothing short of spectacle. And it did.

From the moment I arrived, I was engulfed in a world that felt like a cinematic time warp—an era untouched by the dreary tribulations of the modern world, where effortless elegance still reigned. Posh, polished classic cars shimmered under the Alpine sun. Servers gliding deftly on skates, poured rivers of the finest French bubbly Champagne, balancing magnums with an elegance rivalling the vehicles themselves. Dogs peeked out from Hermès bags, their owners swathed in sable coats so opulent they seemed to consume them whole, while gentlemen, seemingly airlifted straight from a 1920s Rothschild soirée, nonchalantly discussed horsepower and provenance between sips of vintage Dom Pérignon.

It was a spectacle, a celebration, a masterclass in effortless extravagance. The I.C.E. is not about breaking records, but about turning heads—an exhibition of automotive artistry in motion. The drivers of these magnificent cars were not engaged in any crude speed contest. Instead, they drifted with pleasure, ever so delicately, in a parade of vanity, their crews more preoccupied with drone cinematography than with anything as technical as maintaining the perfect radius through a turn. It was not about winning; it was about being seen. They were seen by an international audience that had descended upon St. Moritz in a show of sheer devotion to the art of the automobile.

The Concours, judged by an illustrious international panel, celebrated the rarest and most breathtaking examples of automotive artistry. The five category winners were nothing short of spectacular: the exquisite Ferrari 500 TRC Scaglietti (1957) reigned supreme in Barchettas on the Lake; the Bugatti 59 (1934) dazzled in Open Wheels; the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Aprile (1931) triumphed among Concept Cars & One-Offs; while the Ferrari 275 GTB/4 (1966) and Porsche 908/03 (1971) claimed victory in Icons on Wheels and Racing Legends, respectively.

Saturday’s free laps on the ice were a visual symphony, the sun-kissed peaks of the Engadin providing a natural amphitheatre for this unprecedented display of elegance in motion. And then, the crescendo—the Best in Show award, an extraordinary trophy conceived by Lord Norman Foster- was presented to the Bugatti 59 (1934). Meanwhile, the Ferrari 250 GT SWB “Sefac” (1961) captured the Spirit of St. Moritz award, and the public, enthralled by sheer charisma, anointed the Lamborghini Miura SV (1972) with the coveted Hero Below Zero title.

Yet, beyond the concours, The I.C.E. St. Moritz had transformed the city into a celebration of art, culture, and indulgence. Over twenty thousand visitors from all corners of the globe had gathered, proof that this was no longer merely an event but an institution—one that had cemented itself as an unmissable rendezvous for aficionados of timeless elegance.

A final, well-deserved ovation must be given to the visionaries behind this wintry automotive reverie. Since its debut in 2019, the event has been thoughtfully curated to blend artistry, competition, and heritage into a singularly breathtaking experience—all while honouring the pristine beauty of the Engadin. In a world where true spectacle is increasingly rare, The I.C.E. St. Moritz remains one of the last bastions of pure, unfiltered wonder.

So, as the final curtain falls on this record-breaking edition, one thing is certain: The I.C.E. St. Moritz is no longer just a dream, but an enduring legend. See you in 2026.

Elena Markova | Editor-in-chief

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