Mercedes-Benz C11

Mercedes-Benz C11

Category	Group C Prototype
Constructor	Mercedes-Benz Sauber Motorsport
Designer(s)	Leo Ress Peter Sauber
Predecessor	Sauber C9
Successor	Mercedes-Benz C291
Technical specifications
Chassis	Carbon-kevlar monocoque
Suspension (front)	double wishbones, push-rod operated coil springs over shock absorbers, torsion bar stabilizer
Suspension (rear)	double wishbones, push-rod operated coil springs over shock absorbers, torsion bar stabilizer
Length	189 in (480.1 cm)
Width	78.7 in (199.9 cm)
Height	40.6 in (103.1 cm)
Axle track	63.8 in (162.1 cm)
Wheelbase	109.1 in (277.1 cm)
Engine	Mercedes-Benz M119 4,973 cc (303.5 cu in) HL 90° 5.0L Turbo V8 Twin KKK Turbos Mid, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	5-speed Sequential Manual
Weight	904.9 kg (1,995.0 lb)
Fuel	Bosch Motronic MP 1.8 Fuel Injection
Tyres	Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants	Team Sauber Mercedes
Notable drivers	Mauro Baldi Jean-Louis Schlesser Jochen Mass Karl Wendlinger Michael Schumacher Heinz-Harald Frentzen Fritz Kreutzpointner Alain Ferté Jonathan Palmer Stanley Dickens Kurt Thiim
Debut	1990 Trofeo Caracciolo, Monza
Races Wins Poles F/Laps 12 7 8 9
Constructors' Championships	1
Drivers' Championships	1

The Mercedes-Benz C11 was a Group C prototype race car introduced for the 1990 World Sports-Prototype Championship. Built by Sauber as a successor to the Sauber C9, the C11 used the same Mercedes-Benz M119 5.0L Biturbocharged V8. It was the first time that Mercedes-Benz chose to put their name on the car, instead of simply using Sauber.

Debuting at the first race of the 1990 World Sports-Prototype Championship, the car did not actually race, choosing instead to run only in practice while the team used the reliable C9 from the previous year. However, for the 2nd race the C11 did race, and was able to successfully come home with first and second. Throughout the rest of the season, the C11 won all but one race and easily took the team's championship for the year.

Although Sauber-Mercedes had been successful in winning the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans, the team choose not to defend the title in 1990 due to the race not being part of the 1990 World Sports-Prototype Championship schedule. The team chose instead to concentrate on winning the championship.

Although the C11 was to be replaced by the Mercedes-Benz C291 for the 1991 World Sportscar Championship season, problems with the C291's new engine led Mercedes-Benz to continue to campaign the C11 alongside the C291. The C11 was able to gain three more class wins in the 1991 season before the C291 fully replaced it.

The legendary car also won Le Mans Legend two times, in 2012 and 2014.

The reason that Sauber skipped from C9 to C11 is due to the difficult pronunciation of C10 in German, with C and 10 being pronounced nearly identically.

1990 Mercedes-Benz (Sauber) C11

• Year: 1990
• Make: Mercedes-Benz & Sauber
• Model: C11
• Engine Location: Mid
• Drive Type: Rear Wheel
• Weight: 1995 lb | 904.9 kg
• Engine Configuration: V
• Cylinders: 8
• Aspiration/Induction: Twin-turbocharged
• Displacement: 4973.00 cc | 303.5 cu in. | 5 L.
• Horsepower: 950.00 hp (699.2 kW)
• HP to Weight Ratio: 2.7 lb (1.2 kg) / hp
• HP / Liter: 146.8 bhp / Liter
• Gears: 5 speed
• Transmission: Manual
• Top Speed: <407 km/h (253 mph)

Complete World Sportscar Championship results

Year	Entrant	Class	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Points	WEMCP
1990	Team Sauber Mercedes	Group C			SUZ	MNZ	SIL	SPA	DIJ	NUR	DON	MON	MEX	67.5 1	1st 1
			Mauro Baldi	1		1	Ret	8	1	1	1	1	DSQ
			Jean-Louis Schlesser			1	Ret	8	1	1	1	1	DSQ
			Jochen Mass	2		2	DSQ	1	2	2	2	9	1
			Karl Wendlinger			2		1				9
			Michael Schumacher				DSQ		2	2			1
			Heinz-Harald Frentzen								2

^1 Points alsp scored by the Sauber C9

See also

• Mercedes-Benz motorsport

External links

• Prototyp - Sauber C11
• www.ultimatecarpage.com - Sauber C11
• C#Sonstiges de.wikipedia.org - the German Wikipedia page