Ice, Ice, Baby: I had the best car experience at I.C.E St. Moritz 2026

50 priceless collector cars drifting across a frozen lake. Some of the rarest car models in the world displayed alongside with luxury fashion brands in the city. Dozens of cute dogs, more Birkins than you can ever see in an entire year and one incredible air show of Swiss Air Force. Not to forget… champagne served by skaters, an interesting art show, the international car launches and the incredible unique white iced landscape of St. Moritz. That was, for short, The I.C.E. St. Moritz 2026. And I loved it! 

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It was truly an incredible experience; and not only because I had the privilege to see some of the rarest cars in the world (on the lake and in the city) but also because the atmosphere is one of the kind. Let me explain a bit: imagine a parc fermé, covered in ice, transformed into an open-air art gallery. An car’s gallery, of course, where legends (and I mean legends – from Porsche, Lancia, McLaren, Bugatti or Ferrari to first editions of Pagani Zonda or Koenigsegg). Add to that the jet-setters from around the world, champagne everywhere, music, smiles and the magical backdrop of the Alpine peaks covered in powdered snow. 

What did I like at I.C.E St. Moritz 2026? Firstly, the atmosphere and that the dogs (fashionable dressed to match their humans) were the hottest thing on the lake. Then, the fashion runway displayed everywhere I looked. Also, the Pizza, Polenta & Champagne idea of a ice bar, the curling piste and the talented ice skaters. But also and (very, very much) the Patrouille Suisse air show. And the last, but certainly not the least, the contest itself on the ice – I have to admit that I would have loved to be in one of these cars drifting and accelerating on the frozen lake. Yep, who knows, maybe next time?!

Which cars I admired? Those 3 Bugatti Bolide (there are 40 in the world, just to imagine) that stole the heart of car lovers from the first day of the show. Then, the Koenigsseg CC Prototype (1996), one of its kind. The But, beside the cars in the contest, the producers took the opportunity to show, in the city, a lot of new (or rare) cars – I saw a Kimera (one of those 37 units existing), some Superleggera Touring models, a few Pininfarina Battista. And some random Porsches and Ferraris with snowboarding gear on top. 🙂 

My favorites from on the ice were… Porsche 910 (1967), Lamborghini Miura SV (1972) and the Nissan R390 GT1 (1998)

The (official) awards of I.C.E St. Moritz 2016, as follows…
* Best in Class in the five concours’ categories, awarding the elegance, rarity, and history of each model: Lancia Stratos, 1976 (Legendary Liveries); Maserati 4CLT, 1949 (Open Wheels); Jaguar XJ220, 1993 (Birth of Hypercar); Ferrari 750 Monza, 1955 (Barchettas on the Lake); Talbot-Lago T150C SS “Teardrop”, 1937 (Icons on Wheels). The Best Sound award was presented to the Pontiac Vivant, 1965 (Barchettas on the Lake).
* Best in Show award (specially designed for The I.C.E. by renowned architect Lord Norman Foster) – went to the Talbot-Lago T150C SS “Teardrop”, 1937 (Icons on Wheels). The Ferrari Dino 206 S, 1967 (Icons on Wheels) won the Spirit of St. Moritz award, signed by artist Rolf Sachs. Finally, the McLaren F1 GTR Lark, 1996 (Birth of the Hypercar) was honored with the public award, Hero Below Zero.

A little bit of history 
The I.C.E. St. Moritz – The International Concours of Elegance is at its 6th edition. It was imagined by Marco Makaus back in 2019 (where it was a pilot edition) and has created an unprecedented concept in the world of contest of elegance: a unique fusion of art and sport, both static and dynamic in a unique location. The event, inseparable from the lake which hosts it, has always been held with respect for the Engadin’s environmental and natural heritage. Participating cars are carefully selected and public access limited specifically to safeguard their priceless value.

Title Sponsor Richard Mille; the Main Partners St. Moritz Tourismus AG, Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, Loro Piana, UBS, Bang & Olufsen, VistaJet, Vincenzo Dascanio and Junkers Aircraft; the Automotive Exhibitors Maserati, Pagani Automobili, Bugatti, Rimac, Koenigsegg, Meyers Manx, Aston Martin and RM Sotheby’s. Finally, Campari Group, Eccentrica, Goodwool, MV Agusta, Pininfarina, RUF, coachbuilder Touring Superleggera, Badilatti, Blasto, Blunotte Eventi, HRX, La Marzocco, Les Crêtes, Pirelli and Profumoir.

Photography: (C) I.C.E. St. Moritz 2026 (Alex Belotti, Nicola Fornaciari, Andrea Klainguti, Davide Bianchet, Mattia Tagliavini), www.dreamingof.net