I.C.E. St Moritz, unlike any other Concours

When do you ever see a Concours car go sideways in the snow? This is what makes the International Concours d’Elegance (I.C.E) in St Moritz, Switzerland stand out.

The International Concours d’Elegance (I.C.E) held annually in St Moritz is a Concours with a difference. Instead of the Concours being a mostly stationary affair, the participants, whether a Fiat 500 Jolly, Jaguar XKSS or an Auto Union Type C grand prix car are driven on the 45-centimetre-thick winter wonderland that is the frozen lake of St. Moritz.

Five categories

This wonderfully disparate approach to a Concours has proven immensely popular with over 11,000 enthusiasts, drivers, and media in attendance of this year’s edition. Furthermore, the 48-strong selection of cars could only be described by using the adjectives of eclectic and exceptional. I.C.E. 2023 exhibited five categories: Open Wheels and US, Barchettas on the Lake, Le Mans 100, Concept Cars and One-Offs and Queens on Wheels. 

Eldorado

One of these cars was the “Eldorado” Maserati 420M/58, which won the Open Wheels and US category at the I.C.E. This car is quite unique as the first European racer to have a sponsorship-based livery. Its time in competition is also quite a story. It begins with the car being built in only 20 days and immediately entered in an exhibition race at Monza along with the fastest racers from both sides of the pond.

This tale then took a turn for the scarier with steering failure on the banking at 160 miles per hour (some 57 MPH off the claimed top speed) with Stirling Moss at the wheel, who amazingly escaped unscathed. The Eldorado’s time as a factory racer came to an end at its second race in the Indy 500, where it suffered from fuel starvation.

Tom Kristensen in Auto Union

Another one of this year’s victors was the Lancia Stratos HF Zero concept. This car needs no introduction as it is the inspiration for one of most iconic rally cars and of arguably the Lancia that people best remember today; the Stratos. Nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen throwing the Auto Union Type C around on studded tyres was another highlight.

We are already looking forward to next February, to break the ice on the 2024 Concours season.