The C 9 was the watershed Group C racecar that brought Sauber-Mercedes pole and second position on the grid at Le Mans in 1989, leading to a win and second that year. It also holds the fastest legitimate speed on the Mulsanne Straight at 247 mph, and may be the singular reason why the chicanes were added. The C 9 was a breakthrough model, succeeding where others has suffered reliability and safety issues. It could be said this car is what later brought Sauber-Mercedes into F1. Sporting a completely re-engineered M119 V8 motor made of alluminum, with twin-turbochargers and a full four-valve per cylinder head with dual overhead camshafts, the C 9 motor bumped power to 800 hp. Built into a light-alloy monocoque the C 9 is well balanced, robust, and sleek. The beauty of the chassis in classic silver harkens back to the successful Silver Arrows of ages past. Among group C racers the Sauber-Mercedes C 9 is a fabled competitor.