The I.C.E. St. Moritz 2025, held on February 21 and 22 on the iconic frozen lake at the heart of Switzerland’s Engadin Valley, was a spectacle where elegance, history, and precision engineering came together for a weekend that felt straight out of an enthusiast’s dream. In only its fourth full edition since COVID reshaped event calendars, this concours has swiftly become a bucket-list winter gathering: nearly 20,000 visitors, a hand-picked field of 52 classic and historic cars, and a palpable sense of anticipation you could feel in the crisp alpine air.

Since its roots in a 1985 centenary drive (where Bentley tourers made tracks on the ice), The I.C.E. has fused automotive heritage with winter’s magic. Its 2019 demo, followed by full launches from 2022, emphasized not just show-stopping sheetmetal but an immersive blend of luxury, art, and engineering that flexes Swiss and Italian design DNA with a distinctly modern twist. For collectors and fans, this is where legends, both four-wheeled and human, meet the elements and where concours tradition collides with speed.

Before the weekend, the buzz was about who would triumph among the Ferrari, Bugatti, Alfa Romeo, and Porsche icons slated for display and, more uniquely, real action. The field featured a record-breaking presence just waiting to test traction, nerve, and cold weather reliability; the pre-event form guide was all about the trophies, the ice lap bravado, and the promise of surprises from sponsors, including Pagani and Maserati with new unveilings, and the latest watchmaking artistry from Richard Mille. Would the historic Bugatti 59 live up to its open-wheeled mythos, and could the Ferrari 500 TRC Scaglietti outshine rivals? The paddock murmured about the technical challenge, the ice’s evolving surface and tricky “thermal window” where tire and brake performance intersect with weather, knowing only a select few would nail calibration in alpine conditions.

Reality exceeded the hype: Saturday’s free laps saw collectors unleashing Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti on the frozen stage. The 1934 Bugatti 59 delivered not just aesthetic perfection but dynamic poise, sweeping the Best in Show trophy and the Open Wheels crown. The Ferrari 250 GT SWB “Sefac” (1961) earned the Spirit of St. Moritz Award, while the Lamborghini Miura SV (1972) collected Hero Below Zero as crowd favorite. Category winners included the Ferrari 500 TRC Scaglietti for Barchettas, Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS Aprile for Concept Cars and One-Offs, and Porsche 908/03 for Racing Legends. The measured judging, by a jury of world-renowned designers and experts, reinforced the day’s depth where provenance, unrestored originality, and real-world performance counted as much as polish.

Conditions were challenging but photogenic with alpine sun, below-freezing temperatures, and the unpredictable ice, which forced both drivers and engineers to adapt. The lake’s surface evolved throughout the day; grip was variable, amplifying the importance of tire construct and chassis tuning. Thermal management, of brakes, engines, and driver comfort, became a real differentiator. 

The takeaway is that many came for the spectacle, but the true drama played out at the sharp edge of ice, temperature, and heritage. The Bugatti Type 59 etched its legend deeper with a decisive Best in Show; Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Porsche joined in the podium spotlight. Each trophy was hard-earned, each lap a test against physics. The 2025 I.C.E. St. Moritz delivered not only a quintessentially Swiss concours but a kinetic, cultural fairytale, seamlessly blending luxury, art, and the heart of motoring.

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Wessen Char is UPPF’s petrolhead who still mourns the loss of Saab (and drove her 9-5 NG till 2025). She travels between US and Europe to cover auto events. She acknowledges the chic tech of EVs but wonders if the inexorable move to everything digital is ultimately all-better. Analogue had more soul somehow :)


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