As a partner to the Sauber team Mercedes-Benz lined up with the C9 car for the 1988 world sports prototype championship. The partnership won five races and finished second in the end-of-season standings. The following year, the C9 revived the brand’s traditional silver livery and went on to record eight race wins, including a 1-2 finish in the Le Mans 24-hour race. The team duly won the world championship title, with Jean-Louis Schlesser taking the drivers’ crown.

• Cylinders V8
• Displacement 304 cu in
• Output 530 kW
• at engine speed 7000/min
• Top speed 249 mph