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VINTAGE: Checkered Union Of Sauber-Mercedes
Written by: Wouter Melissen
UltimateCarPage.com   http://www.ultimatecarpage.com
07/03/2009
Le Mans (FRA)
 
One of the first specialist manufacturers to build a Group C racer was Peter Sauber, the Swiss engineer and motor racing enthusiast. Sauber previously constructed mainly small-engine sports-prototypes, so Group C was quite a step forward.

Chassis 04, first seen in fall 1990, is still owned by the factory and was reunited with driver Jochen Mass at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2007. (Photo: Wouter Melissen) » More Photos
He teamed up with engine specialist Heini Mader, and together they created the Cosworth engined Sauber C6 in 1982. The car looked very purposeful, but the badly vibrating V-8 engine proved to be a reliability nightmare. In the following seasons, the Swiss team had a little more success with the BMW-powered C7, but they could not match the works-developed Porsches and Lancias. The C7's biggest achievement was a ninth at Le Mans in 1983, which prevented a complete Porsche top 10.

Perhaps with the intention of securing factory backing, Peter Sauber asked Mercedes-Benz if he could use their new wind tunnel to test his latest racing car. The Germans were clearly impressed, and shortly after the wind-tunnel test, an exclusive engine deal was signed between Sauber and Mercedes.

Chassis 05 came in fifth overall at the 1991 Le Mans. In 2007. the current owner had it fully restored. It is seen here at this year's Modena Trackdays. (Photo: Wouter Melissen) » More Photos
This effectively meant the return of Mercedes-Benz to sports-car racing for the first time since their withdrawal after the tragic 1955 Le Mans. The priority was to develop a race-winning engine first before drawing too much attention, so in the first few years of the cooperation, Mercedes-Benz was listed as an engine supplier only.

Sauber was particularly interested in the recently introduced, all-alloy 5-liter V-8 engine, known internally as the M117. Mader was commissioned to turn this street engine into a full Group C powerplant by adding two KKK Turbochargers. With Group C fuel limitations in mind, the engine was not only developed for outright performance, but also for sufficient fuel mileage.

In qualifying trim, the engine easily produced 700 - 800 bhp, but in racing spec, 650 bhp was the more
sensible output. The newly developed twin-Turbo V-8 was mated to a familiar Hewland five-speed gearbox.

For the first Sauber Mercedes, the C8, Peter Sauber used the C7's aluminum monocoque as a basis. The Mercedes engine was mounted in a steel subframe directly behind the driver's compartment. All the other running gear was very conventional with independent suspension and vented discs all-round. Subject of the wind-tunnel test, the ground-effects body was indeed very efficient, although not very stable.

At Le Mans in 1985, the sole Sauber Mercedes C8 entered recorded the second highest top speed, but also flipped on the Hunaudieres in practice. Although the car landed on its wheels, it was damaged too much to start the race.

The Sauber team returned the following year with two new C8 chassis, livered in the dark blue Kouros colours. Both cars managed to start the race, but they retired with engine and gearbox problems before night fell. Tweaks to the aerodynamics had made the cars more stable on the straights, but they weren't quite as fast as in 1985.


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