Events 2024
A celebration for classic cars: the open day at the Classic Centre Switzerland to mark its 100th anniversary
To mark its 100th anniversary, the Classic Center Switzerland hosted an ‘Open Day’ on 6 October 2024 to offer the general public a deeper insight into its activities and further raise the centre’s profile. On this day, the Classic Car Museum opened its doors and offered free admission to an exhibition that impressively presented the 100-year history of the Emil Frey Group.
However, the programme offered much more: visitors were able to explore the Classic Car workshop, talk to the archive managers or take a look at the vehicles currently for sale.
The physical well-being was well catered for: from a rich countrywomen’s breakfast to burgers, pizzas and sausages for lunch to various snacks – there was something for every taste.
The entertainment programme also left nothing to be desired. Children enjoyed themselves with XXL games, face painting and gingerbread decorating, while the adults marvelled at the numerous classic cars that had arrived or took part in an exciting headfirst experience in the Audi 100 at the Driving Centre – and then had to free themselves again afterwards.
In the afternoon, there were hourly guided tours of the Classic Car Museum, the Classic Car Workshop and Emil Frey Racing. Musical highlights included concerts by Chris Regez & Guitar Mike and Katharina Michel, who set the hall alight with their music. Anyone who had always wanted to take a seat in a classic car had the opportunity to do so during a taxi ride.
The response was overwhelming, and at times the event resembled a folk festival – even Winston Churchill would have been delighted by the large number of guests who had travelled to the event.
Pictures: Kalchofen Media
Events 2023
Events 2022
Christmas togetherness at the Classic Center Switzerland - we gave away warmth of heart
So that no one has to spend Christmas alone, “Christmas for All” took place at the Classic Center Switzerland on 17 December.
Our guests experienced a heartwarming evening in a cheerful mood and with good food. It was festively decorated and after an aperitif, we wandered through the contemporary stories in the Classic Car Museum before enjoying a delicious dinner. We had ham in pastry with homemade potato salad and dried beans. The cosy get-together was the focus and musical entertainment also accompanied this wonderful evening.
This celebration is an appeal to humanity. We wish more than ever to look out for each other and to take care of each other. No one should have to be alone at this time. The best Christmas present for us was to experience an unforgettable evening and we succeeded.
A big thank you goes to our partners who supported us – Aryzta Schweiz AG – Niederhäusern AG Zofingen – Top CC Rothrist – Metzgerei Felder Safenwil – Landfrauen Bezirk Zofingen – Beck Mathys Schöftland – Radio Argovia – Zofinger Tagblatt.
A big praise and heartfelt thanks also to the great team who made this evening what it was.
RenElvis cultural event - all expectations exceeded
Open-Air Concert in Safenwil – Emil Frey Classics & Kulturchreis Sodhubel
Thursday, 01 September 2022
The open-air concert in Safenwil, which was organised in collaboration with Emil Frey Classics and the Safenwil Cultural Commission, was a complete success. RenElvis thrilled the 250 guests with his good voice and great show! With hits like “Love me Tender”, “In the Ghetto”, “Can’t help falling in Love” and many more, RenElvis enchanted the audience. Some women were lying at his feet, so to speak… and a few selfies were taken during the break. René Wettstein barely had time to drink and change for his second show act. He distributed red roses in the audience and sang his large repertoire from different Elvis Presley eras, very true to the original.
The evening was perfect. It was sunny and warm at the beginning and later in the evening the picture was almost kitschy with the dusk in the background, which made the beautiful Classic Center Switzerland glow… or was it RenElvis with his technique including lights? In addition, the good bar, the fine grill, ice cream & coffee.
In the spirit of looking forward to seeing you again soon, we received a lot of praise from the Cultural Commission and Emil Frey Classics for the successful and wonderful evening! We would like to pass on the praise to all those who helped and, of course, to RenElvis and the fantastic audience.
Pictures: Jörg Braun
Events 2021
Classics Day - Varied insight
The Classics Day took place on August 21st. Even if the traditional Oldtimer Grand Prix could not take place this year, the varied Classics Day took place as an alternative. We started the day with a fine breakfast.
Then it went on rotating in five different groups to different stations:
1. Classic Car Workshop We led our visitors through the “holy halls” of the Emil Frey Classics workshop, we gave an insight into the engine workshop, the electrical workshop, the plumbing We provided information about current restoration projects and techniques.
2. Emil Frey Racing Here, visitors received information about the current GT3 racing vehicles and the format, currently the world’s most competitive GT3 racing series.
3. Driver training On the slope of the Driving Center Switzerland, where the Oldtimer Grand Prix usually takes place, the visitors were able to get to know each other and your oldtimer (or your current everyday car) better. Various driving maneuvers made it possible to improve your own driving safety.
4. Electromobility The drive of the future. The alternative drive concepts of the future were shown in a neutral way: advantages, disadvantages, but also where the combustion engine still has its opportunities. Individual test drives were on the program here.
5. Museum tour With a guided tour through our museum, we gave an insight into the history of the Emil Frey Group and its automobile brands.
RAID Young Raiders Challenge
Challenge your ride and prove your skills!
A young and old timer rally only for young drivers: The RAID Young Raiders Challenge. On Saturday, August 14th, 2021, Emil Frey Classics finally started in Safenwil: the young rally drivers set off in their old and young timers for the large, two-day rally through exciting parts of Switzerland.
Events 2019
Our very first first-class drive
It was a case of premiere “fever” for everyone involved in the first Emil Frey Classics Drive, which took a small group of happy motorists across Switzerland on 17-20 August 2019. We crossed from north to south, enjoying the promise of one exclusive setting after another.
The drive began not in Switzerland, but across the border at the Hofgut Albführen in Dettighofen, Germany. There, the illustrious participants met up – the oldest being a beautiful 1937 Delahaye 135 M Chapron Paris and the youngest, a noble 1986 Aston Martin V8. We also paid special attention to the perfectly preserved red 1954 Mercedes 300 S Cabriolet A. The highlight at the start, however, was the view of the horses and stables at the beautiful Albführen farm estate.
It proved to be the perfect place to get to know each other and get in the mood for the first 90 km stage. Over lunch, we carried out the driver briefing and distributed the road book, which included a total of six special tests, to be completed by the drivers daily. These included a questionnaire, time, temperature and weight measurements, and a slalom course.
Lake Constance and Rigoletto
The first stage began in the region around Jestetten, continued along a cozy country road in Thurgau and led to the Bad Horn Hotel on the shores of Lake Constance. On the first evening, we enjoyed a first-class cultural experience on the water. After a fine dinner on board the Emily, the hotel’s own ship, we went to the Bregenz Festival for a world-class performance of Verdi’s “Rigoletto” on the festival’s famous lake-stage – a spectacle to remember.
The mountains call
On the second day, the Classics Drive resumed with a breathtaking route up to Heiden, over the Felsenegg and back down into the Rhine Valley. In wonderful summer weather, we continued along the left side of the valley, via Balzers, and into the Bündner Herrschaft region to reach the traditional Donatsch winery in picturesque Maienfeld. After enjoying local specialties and fine wines, we set out on the third stage over the Flüela pass and into the Engadine – an alpine route that always inspires. The goal of this stage was nothing less than the hotel ranking as Europe’s most beautiful mountain hotel: the Giardino Mountain in Champfèr, in the area around St. Moritz. After relaxing, we had a fine Graubünden evening at the cozy Piccolo El Paradiso, located above the idyllic Lake of Staz.
A touch of the dolce vita
The next morning, the route took us alongside the Engadin lakes and over the Maloja pass to Menaggio on Lake Como. After a lovely lunch high above the shores, in Italy’s second oldest golf club, we began the last stage once again in dry weather. Via Lugano, Monte Ceneri and the Magadino plain, the group followed the detailed road book all the way to the casual luxury of Il Giardona in Ascona. All in all, it was a highly varied trip in terms of both the weather and the route, which included several lakes and passes large and small.
Attention to detail
The participants of the first Emil Frey Classics Drive covered around 450 kilometers and got to know the most beautiful side of Switzerland. The program was an exciting mix of culinary, cultural and gastronomic highlights dotted along a charming route from north to south. And the interesting and open conversations among the cheerful participants made the experience much more than just a drive. Mandy Petermann of Stuttgart, who drove that beautiful Mercedes 300 S Cabriolet A, remarked: “We regularly take part in excursions, but the first Emil Frey Classic Drive more than exceeded our expectations. Everything went perfectly and we are already looking forward to 2020!” On our side, we have taken on the challenge of making the next drive just as special.
Tracing the Klausenpass legend
The Klausenpass may link the cantons of Glarus and Uri, but it is far more than an east-west connection: it is a legend.
In the early days of the automobile, the Klausen race was the longest, toughest and most popular mountain race in the world. For the best motorbike and car racers, not to mention 30,000 spectators, no other race captured the imagination quite like this one – a 21.5km-stretch of unpaved road that starts in Linthal, winds its way up 136 curves and reaches an altitude of 1,237 metres at the top of the pass. Emil Frey himself took part in the race four times, between 1925 and 1929. In 1925, the 27-year-old mechanic bought a Sunbeam motorbike in England and boosted its performance by 20 percent in his own workshop. But what really made the motorbike a serious contender was his special petrol mix. Only decades later, in an interview with Memorial-Revue 1993, did Frey reveal the secret ingredients: benzene, picric acid, ether and castor oil. He also explained the motivation behind racing: “As I was always short of money in the beginning, and could not afford to advertise the English motorbikes I was selling, I had to find other ways of making a name for myself. That’s what I used these races for. My wins made me famous and gave customers more reason to believe in the quality of products in my shop.”
At 19:01:04 minutes, Emil Frey recorded the fastest time ever in the professional half-litre class on an English HRD. He received his trophy in front of the William Tell memorial in Altdorf.
Recently, we headed back up to the Klausenpass to take two of our classic cars out for a spin, though this time we had no intention of breaking any records! Behind the wheels of a stunning 1964 Jaguar E-Type 3.8L Series 1 roadster and a spirited 1972 Toyota Celica ST in bright green, we experienced the magic of the Klausenpass once again.
Come along for the ride…