For several years, the Bernina Gran Turismo team has been toying with the idea of reviving the St. Moritz Automobile Week of 1929 and 1930. Until now, however, other obstacles have always stood in the way of implementing the many ideas. Finally came the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, which caused events everywhere to be postponed and ultimately all too often canceled altogether. And suddenly the question arose: why not turn the problem into an advantage?
By the time all the decisions were finally made, there were only a few months left to prepare everything. Nevertheless, numerous stage victories were achieved. Thanks to valuable and, above all, loyal partners and sponsors, it was possible to implement almost everything on the organizers' to-do list. Even RM Sotheby's was persuaded to hold the first Swiss auction as part of the first edition of the new St. Moritz International Automobile Week.
2021 is still dominated by the pandemic - although many things have supposedly become more relaxed, in practice implementation has actually become more complicated. Nevertheless, the time has now come and all the protagonists have taken their places on the starting grid. The 2021 edition can now be seen as a warm-up round, as numerous participants from overseas still have to forego taking part due to current travel restrictions and postpone their plans until next year. Until then, hopefully a carefree overall situation will ensure that more visitors come again.
The organizers hope - and there is much to suggest that this will be the case - that the new International St. Moritz Automobile Week will develop into a "European Car Week", a festival that attracts enthusiasts, drivers, collectors, experts, fans, clubs and journalists from all over Europe. Where better to celebrate tradition and historic mobility than in the incredible backdrop of the Swiss Alps that characterizes the Engadin? Where are there more beautiful roads than here, around St. Moritz?
Information on the St. Moritz International Automobile Week can be found on the website.
Start with the Kilomètre Lancé (Alpine 1000)
The historic St. Moritz Automobile Week in 1929 and 1930 consisted of the kilometer race on the so-called Shellstrasse, a Concours d'Elegance at the Kurhaus (today's Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains in St. Moritz Bad), a skills race, a rally and, as the highlight, the Bernina Race. At the time, Hans Stuck in an Austro Daimler (1929) and Louis Chiron in a Bugatti (1930) won the competitions.
It was only logical to revive the Kilometer Race and the Concours d'Elégance. Of course, such events have to be adapted to the times without losing touch with the historical model. The "Kilomètre Lancé - Alpine 1000" from September 10 to 12, 2021 and the "Motorsport Rendezvous" from September 15 to 17 should certainly succeed in doing this.
Of course, the acceleration races are no longer held on public roads. However, Engadin Airport is not only within sight of the historic venue, it also has a suitable route with its 1.8 km runway. The airport management and the responsible municipality of Samedan were very positive about a new edition of the kilometer race right from the start. This meant that this historic event could finally be revived in Samedan.
Active support was brought in for the organization: Tobias Aichele and Jörg Litzenburger, known in the scene above all for the "Solitude Rennen" and "Glemseck 101", will actively help with the organization of the sprint event and other aspects of the event.The "Kilomètre Lancé - Alpine 1000" will be a real festival for classic mobility, with acceleration taking center stage.
Famous record-breaking vehicles at the Kilomètre Lancé
Acceleration and top speed, alongside power and engine capacity, have always been the most fascinating technical data of vehicles, both in the two-wheeler sector and in the automobile sector. And according to Henry Ford, motor racing was invented the moment the second automobile was built.
Last but not least, racing successes were important sales arguments, which manufacturers recognized even before the turn of the last century.
Some of these great vehicles will be making an appearance at the Kilomètre Lancé on September 11 at Engadin Airport. When else can record-breaking vehicles be seen in action? The only discipline they have mastered is driving in a straight line. That's the only reason why you never see them on normal roads.
Wisconsin Special by Sig. Haugdahl from 1922
Both Sig. Haugdahl and the Wisconsin Special were known and famous like colorful dogs in their day. The car drove on April 7, 1922 under Sig. Haugdahl set a Land Speed Record at Daytona Beach - 180mph=292km/h (not recognized by the AAA). The windy monster owes its 250 hp to a Wisconsin airplane engine from the First World War with 13,600 cc.
The car has been in Switzerland for 9 years and has been mechanically restored. Just in time for its 100th birthday, the sprightly racer is now ready to drive again.
Blitzen Benz from 1909
This Blitzen Benz from 1909 is a true displacement monster: 21.5 liters of displacement are spread over four cylinders. With the right sprockets and the right gear ratio, the chain-driven car can theoretically reach a speed of around 190 km/h per kilometer. The world record, which was set in Daytona in 1911, was an incredible 228.1 km/h. This record stood until 1921.
Today, the car wears the bodywork for hill climbs with which it won the Ries hill climb in Austria in 1911 under Franz Heim.
Jaguar X 120 "Jabbeke" from 1953
The Jaguar XK120 was once considered the fastest production car in the world. This extraordinary example drove 141 mph under Norman Dewis, only to lose this record again shortly afterwards to a Pegaso Z-102 BS 2.8. Jaguar then decided to settle the matter once and for all and entered the race again.
With a few new modifications, the car finally reached 172.4 mph = 277.5 km/h.
Fiat Abarth 500 Record Pininfarina from 1958
The Fiat Abart 500 no longer has much in common with the well-known "50cc Fiat", except for the 2-cylinder engine with 479 cc.
Thanks to the sleek bodywork made of thin aluminum, the car weighs only 370 kg and manages a smooth 180 km/h despite a modest 36 hp - a proud speed in this class!
Fiat Abarth 1000 Record Pininfarina "La Principessa" from 1965
With a drag coefficient of 0.27, which makes many modern vehicles look old, two records were set with this vehicle on the Monza racetrack in October 1965. The pilot Mario Poltronieri achieved a record in the 750 cc class with 95.762 km/h in the ¼ mile and with 104.956 km/h over 500 m.
The vehicle is now part of "The Pearl Collection" and was restored by Lopresto.
For more information on the Kilomètre Lancé, there is a dedicated website
The Motorsport Rendevous at the Kempinski Grand Hotel Des Bains, St. Moritz
An essential part of the "International St. Moritz Automobile Week" in 1929 and 1930 was a Concours d'Elegance. It is therefore only logical that with the "Motorsport Rendezvous - on Top of the World" - as the second new event alongside the "Kilomètre Lancé - Alpine 1000" - we are launching a Concours d'Elegance. However, the Motorsport Rendezvous will be a Concours that is not a Concours:
Instead of the traditional, somewhat dusty line-up of over-restored (luxury) vehicles, we will be focusing on racing and sports cars. In addition, interesting topics and important collections that are otherwise not accessible to the public will be on display. Luca Moiso, who has a lot of experience with concours events in our team, will be supported by Dirk de Jager, one of the most prominent photographers and historians of collector cars.
The Motorsport Rendezvous from September 15 to 17, 2021 is a very exclusive event that celebrates an upscale lifestyle in a completely relaxed and modern way. This suits St. Moritz and not least the venue, the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains. Over the past 50 years, St. Moritz has always been synonymous with a sophisticated vacation resort that - despite its modest size - is world-famous and always associated with the international jet set. Where better to celebrate historic racing and lifestyle than here?
Admission tickets are strictly limited to ensure exclusivity and could only be purchased in advance of the event. The vehicles on display are selected according to strict criteria.
Nevertheless, the general public will not miss out: Friday is planned as a "Public Day", when at least the majority of the vehicles will be accessible to visitors and fans, with the Bernina Gran Turismo participant vehicles already arriving at the Kempinski Hotel for technical scrutineering.
There is also a specific website for the Motorsport Rendezvous.
Bernina Gran Turismo hill climb, Bernina Pass, St-Moritz/Valposchiavo
In 2014, the Bernina Gran Turismo became the legitimate successor to the Bernina Race of 1929 and 1930. Since then, the mountain race in the Swiss Alps has been able to conquer a top position in international historic racing.
In 2020, the first year of the pandemic, the Bernina Gran Turismo was one of the few events in the world to take place. And this year, too, there was never a serious threat to the event. On the contrary: enhanced by the two new events Kilomètre Lancé and Motorsport Rendezvous, the Bernina Gran Turismo will be the highlight of the new St. Moritz International Motor Show from September 17 to 19, 2021.
And finally, RM/Sotheby's will be holding its first Swiss auction in 2021 in cooperation with Bernina Gran Turismo at the partner hotel Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains, thus further enhancing the St. Moritz International Automobile Week.
Thanks to the partnership with TCCT (The Classic Car Trust), the Bernina Gran Turismo will be the first historic race that is partly virtual and partly real - on the same race track, namely from La Rösa to the top of the Bernina Pass. The high-tech simulators, designed by Pininfarina and Zagato, will be located in the Bernina Gran Turismo ePaddock at the Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains from September 15 to 19.
The Bernina Gran Turismo 2021 thus spans the arc from the analog classic race to the eBGT in the digital world, living up to the saying "no future without a past".
For details on the hill climb, visit the dedicated website.
