One of the first specialist manufacturers to build a Group C racer was Peter Sauber. This Swiss engineer and motor racing enthusiast previously constructed mainly small-engined sports-prototypes, so Group C was quite a step forward. He had 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 V8 engine proved to be a reliability nightmare. In the following seasons, the Swiss team had a little more success with the BMW engined 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; preventing a complete Porsche top-ten.
The BMW Sauber C7:
Perhaps with the intention of securing factory backing, Peter Sauber asked Mercedes-Benz if he could use their brand new windtunnel 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. This effectively meant the return of Mercedes-Benz to sportscar 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 and 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 five litre V8 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 to get sufficient 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 V8 was mated to a familiar Hewland five speed gearbox.
For the first Sauber Mercedes, the C8, Peter Sauber used the C7’s aluminium 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 windtunnel 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 C8 had a top-speed of 370 km/h (230 mph).
The Sauber team returned the following year with two new C8 chassis, liveried in the dark blue Kouros colours. For the first two races the C8 showed promise, with an 8th and a 9th. However later in the season the C8s were entered in the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans where unfortunately neither car was able to finish, both being 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.
One of the C8s was sold to privateer Noel del Bello, while Sauber and Mercedes were busy working on a replacement for the 1987 season. The C8 was raced twice more at Le Mans by the Frenchman, but with little success. Noël del Bello continued into 1988, but failed to finish any of the races it entered again.
The Kouros C8 is pictured hanging on the wall of the German Sinsheim Museum.
A 1987 video footage in the Kouros sponsored Sauber Mercedes C8, driven by Johnny Dumfries, Chip Ganassi and Mike Thackwell. The green light turns on and they are forced to retire. Gearbox trouble was the official reason, but Dumfries is said to have spoken of engine failure
ENGINE:
Engine type
M 117
Inlet valves
1 inclined overhead valve per cylinder, actuated via finger follower
Ignition sequence
1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2
No. of cylinders / arrangement
8 / 90° V
Outlet valves
1 inclined overhead valve per cylinder, actuated via finger follower
Configuration
In front of rear axle, longitudinal; vertical
Valve operation
1 overhead camshaft per cylinder bank, double roller chain drive
Ignition adjustment
Mapping
Combustion principle
Four-stroke Otto (with manifold-injection, 2 KKK turbochargers, charge-air cooling)
8. The C111 design study was originally baptized , the C101 project. However, the “0 (zero)” in the middle had to disappear , since this number combination has long been protected by....
Nov 4 2014
1985 – 1987 Mercedes-Benz Sauber C8
One of the first specialist manufacturers to build a Group C racer was Peter Sauber. This Swiss engineer and motor racing enthusiast previously constructed mainly small-engined sports-prototypes, so Group C was quite a step forward. He had 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 V8 engine proved to be a reliability nightmare. In the following seasons, the Swiss team had a little more success with the BMW engined 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; preventing a complete Porsche top-ten.
The BMW Sauber C7:
Perhaps with the intention of securing factory backing, Peter Sauber asked Mercedes-Benz if he could use their brand new windtunnel 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. This effectively meant the return of Mercedes-Benz to sportscar 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 and 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 five litre V8 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 to get sufficient 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 V8 was mated to a familiar Hewland five speed gearbox.
For the first Sauber Mercedes, the C8, Peter Sauber used the C7’s aluminium 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 windtunnel 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 C8 had a top-speed of 370 km/h (230 mph).
The Sauber team returned the following year with two new C8 chassis, liveried in the dark blue Kouros colours. For the first two races the C8 showed promise, with an 8th and a 9th. However later in the season the C8s were entered in the 1986 24 Hours of Le Mans where unfortunately neither car was able to finish, both being 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.
One of the C8s was sold to privateer Noel del Bello, while Sauber and Mercedes were busy working on a replacement for the 1987 season. The C8 was raced twice more at Le Mans by the Frenchman, but with little success. Noël del Bello continued into 1988, but failed to finish any of the races it entered again.
The Kouros C8 is pictured hanging on the wall of the German Sinsheim Museum.
A 1987 video footage in the Kouros sponsored Sauber Mercedes C8, driven by Johnny Dumfries, Chip Ganassi and Mike Thackwell. The green light turns on and they are forced to retire. Gearbox trouble was the official reason, but Dumfries is said to have spoken of engine failure
ENGINE:
CHASSIS and DRIVETRAIN:
TRANSMISSION and PERFORMANCE:
DIMENSIONS and WEIGHTS
By Catalin Varvara • MB MotorSports, Sauber 0 • Tags: Mercedes benz sauber c8, mercedes-benz, Meredes Benz, Sauber c8, sauber c9