Mercedes-Benz Classic brings sporty and exclusive classics to the ice in St. Moritz

“The I.C.E.” on frozen Lake St. Moritz on 24 and 25 February 2023

C 111-II V8 and 300 SLS will do laps on the oval course

60 years of the Mercedes-Benz 600 (W 100) prestige saloon

The young event “The I.C.E. St. Moritz” showcases automotive classics in an extraordinary setting: A vast array of historic cars will be on show on frozen and snow-covered Lake St. Moritz on 24 and 25 February 2023. The stationary vehicles were presented to the public and the Concours of Elegance jury in the “Parc Fermé”. They then did dynamic laps on the ice.

Mercedes-Benz Classic starts with a C 111-II with V8 engine (1970) and a 300 SLS touring sports car (W 198, 1958). The drivers include former factory driver and current Mercedes-AMG brand ambassador Karl Wendlinger. The brand’s Heritage division is presenting a Mercedes-Benz 600 (W 100, 1963) to mark its sixtieth birthday and also a 300 SL Roadster (W 198, 1958), which will be on sale.

“Mercedes-Benz Classic is open to new things. This includes ‘The I.C.E’ in St. Moritz. The event showcases outstanding classic cars – in the middle of the cold season, when historic cars tend to stay in the garage. Mountains, snow, ice and hopefully sunshine will set the scene for the fresh concept.” – Marcus Breitschwerdt, Head of Mercedes-Benz Heritage

Circuit on 50-centimetre-thick ice

The name “The I.C.E.” officially stands for “International Concours of Elegance” and at the same time it refers to the circuit’s ice surface. The track only exists for three months of the year: When Lake St. Moritz has a layer of ice around 50 centimetres thick in winter. The oval course, including a covering of snow, is created on the lake.

The venue is used for various events, including the sport of polo. At “The I.C.E.”, the vehicles compete in categories such as „Open Wheels“, „Barchettas on the lake“, „Le Mans 100“, „Concept Cars & One Offs“ und „Queens on Wheels“.

A winner will be chosen in each of the categories. The Mercedes-Benz C 111-II with V8 engine will compete in the “Concept Cars & One Offs” class and the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS (“Super Light Sport”) in the “Barchettas on the lake” class.

The history of the event goes back to the winter of 1985: At that time, a group of Scots and English discovered the staked-out racecourse on the frozen Lake St. Moritz as a track for their classic Bentleys.

After more than 30 years, one of the spectators at the time took up the idea. This led to the successful trial run of “The I.C.E.” with sports cars in 2019. After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the “Ice Revue” has taken place with a full programme since 2022.

The Mercedes-Benz Classic Brand Ambassador at “The I.C.E.” 2023

Karl Wendlinger
born 20 December 1968 in Kufstein, Austria
Mercedes-Benz Classic is happy to entrust the former racing driver with exclusive models from its collection of around 1,000 vehicles. The AMG brand ambassador has a driving style that is fast, safe and kind to the cars. In addition to this, the now 54-year-old is considered a great conversationalist.

In 1990, Wendlinger was part of the Mercedes-Benz Junior Team in the Sports Car World Championship together with Michael Schumacher and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. As a team mate of Jochen Mass and Michael Schumacher, he scored several victories in the Sauber-Mercedes. In 1993, Karl Wendlinger switched to Formula 1, where he was a driver for the team headed by Swiss national Peter Sauber.

The Mercedes-Benz Classic vehicles at “The I.C.E.” 2023

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS Touring Sports Car (W 198), 1958
Use: dynamic (Saturday, 25 February) and static (Friday, 24 February)
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS (“Super Light Sport”) is a special edition of the 300 SL Roadster (W 198) for motor racing. Two examples of the touring sports car were built in 1957 for the American Sports Car Championship, as homologation of the production version of the new model for the “Standard Production” category in the 1957 season was not possible.

In order to still have a chance in the only possible alternative racing category D, a production roadster was optimised to become the 300 SLS, which weighed just 970 kilograms and produced 173 kW (235 hp). That was 360 kilograms less and 15 kW (20 hp) more than the 300 SL Roadster.

With the 300 SLS, factory-backed Paul O’Shea won the American Sports Car Championship in category D with a clear lead over the competition. He had already won the title in 1955 and 1956 with the 300 SL “Gullwing”. At “The I.C.E.”, Mercedes-Benz Classic is using an authentic replica of the original 300 SLS.

Technical data – Mercedes-Benz 300 SLS (W 198)
Use: 1957
Cylinders: 6/inline
Displacement: 2,996 cc
Output: 173 kW (235 hp) at 5,900 rpm
Top speed: 260 km/h

Mercedes-Benz C 111-II with V8 engine, 1970
Use: dynamic (Saturday, 25 February) and static (Friday, 24 February)
Mercedes-Benz presented the C 111 at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in September 1969. With its extreme wedge shape and gullwing doors, the research vehicle had a glass-fibre-reinforced plastic (GRP) body and was powered by a three-rotor Wankel engine with an output of 206 kW (280 hp).

This futuristic sports car could reach a speed of up to 270 km/h. The following year, the revised version C 111-II was presented at the Geneva Motor Show, now with a four-rotor Wankel engine and 257 kW (350 hp). In this version, the C 111 accelerated from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and had a top speed of 300 km/h. Despite numerous orders, the C 111 remained a purely experimental vehicle and never entered production.

Mercedes-Benz instead went on to develop a series of record-breaking vehicles based upon it: the C 111-II D (1976) and the C 111-III (1977 to 1978), both with a five-cylinder diesel engine, and the C 111-IV (1979) with V8 spark-ignition engine and turbocharger. In 1970, the C 111-II was also the basis for a V8 variant with the standard M 116 engine (147 kW/200 hp) for drive comparisons with the Wankel sports car.

Technical data – Mercedes-Benz C 111-II with V8 engine
Production period: 1970
Cylinders: V8
Displacement: 3,499 cc
Output: 147 kW (200 hp) at 5,800 rpm

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198), 1958
Use: static
At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1957, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the 300 SL Roadster (W 198) as the successor to the 300 SL “Gullwing” Coupé of the same model series, which had made its debut in 1954. On a technical level, the open-top sports car was very much like the coupé, although the modified roll cage now allowed the installation of conventionally hinged doors.

These were necessary for open-top driving and were more convenient when getting in and out. The chassis had also been evolved further: The single-joint swing axle with a lowered pivot point was used instead of the classic two-joint design, and the 300 SL Roadster had a compensating spring for the first time.

From autumn 1958 onwards, the Roadster was also available on request with a detachable hardtop. It was from the standard 300 SL Roadster that Mercedes-Benz engineers developed the 300 SLS racing variant with which Paul O’Shea won Category D of the American Sports Car Championship in 1957.

This completed the circle, as the 300 SL was based on the racing car of the same name (W 194), which was used very successfully in motorsport in the 1952 season. In 1961 the 300 SL Roadster was provided with disc brakes, and in 1962 with a cast-aluminium crankcase. Production of the sports car continued until 1963. A total of 1,858 examples of the highly exclusive sports car were built over seven years. Today it is one of the most sought-after classics.

Technical data – Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (W 198)
Production period: 1957 to 1963
Cylinders: 6/inline
Displacement: 2,996 cc
Output: 158 kW (215 hp) at 5,800 rpm
Top speed: up to 242 km/h

Mercedes-Benz 600 (W 100), 1963
Use: static
“The ‘Grand Mercedes’ 600 – the exclusive vehicle of great prestige”: With this headline, the Mercedes-Benz press release for the premiere in September 1963 at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt am Main positioned the Mercedes-Benz 600 among the leaders in the automotive industry.

Some of its highlights: the first V8 engine in a Mercedes-Benz car, performance on a par with a sports car, and many hydraulically-controlled convenience features for seat adjustment, opening and closing of doors, windows and boot lid. Added to this were air suspension, power steering and a central locking system as well as an electronically-controlled heating and ventilation system.

All things considered, the equipment was unique at the time and was considered state-of-the-art during that period. Internally known as the W 100, the luxury saloon held its position as the international benchmark of the top automotive category for almost two decades. During the 17-year construction period, 2,677 examples were built, 487 as Pullman versions.

The V8 engine with a displacement of 6.3 litres produced 184 kW (250 hp). Buyers from all over the world opted for the “600”: Royal highnesses, heads of state and equally outstanding personalities from the worlds of business and show business.

Technical data – Mercedes-Benz 600 (W 100)
Production period: 1963 to 1981
Cylinders: V8
Displacement: 6,332 cc
Output: 184 kW (250 hp) at 4,000 rpm
Top speed: 205 km/h

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