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.

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.

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.

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.