The Sauber C4 racing sports car (1975) is one of the more historic racing cars in Peter Sauber's motorsport history. Now - with its return to its old home in Switzerland - the "world tour" of this racing car has come to a happy end.
Successful racing car
After the Sauber C3, the Sauber C4 racing car was the fourth model to be built by Peter Sauber's company in Hinwil, Switzerland. It was built in 1975; only one example exists (chassis number 75.C04.001). The C4 is the first Sauber racing car with an aluminum monocoque.
The Sauber C4 has had a remarkably long racing career. It was entered in the Swiss championship (2-liter sports car) with drivers Harry Blumer (1975) and Jean-François Renold (1976). Various one-day victories for Glarus civil engineer Harry Blumer and his third place overall in the Swiss championship were the successful results of 1975.
Manfred Schurti, Georges Blättler and Louis Bärtsch also raced sporadically.
Globetrotter
The Sauber C4 then made its way to Greece, where a private Greek driver raced it for many years in local hill climbs under the name "Ninos". In 1991, the Sauber C4 was sold to England, where it was used by its owner Ian Giles. It was then sold to the USA in 2000. The new owner, Brian Groza, fully restored the car to its original configuration and regularly raced it in historic events in North America.
In April of this year, Brian Groza decided to sell the Sauber C4 and contacted Sauber Motorsport in Hinwil directly. After various contacts and clarifications, long-time Swiss racing driver Reiner Suhr from Basel seized the opportunity and purchased it. Reiner Suhr is a member of the long-established Ecurie Basilisk motorsport club. The early Sauber Motorsport racing history is closely linked to the Ecurie Basilisk and its members.
On August 8, 2025, the Sauber C4 arrived in Basel after a two-month sea voyage and subsequent land transport. 50 years after its creation, it thus returned to its country of origin, Switzerland. The new owner intends to use the C4 at historic events. Like other historic Sauber racing cars, the Sauber C4 will be looked after by Ueli Schüpbach, Racervices GmbH in Bättwil (SO).
The Sauber C4 (chassis number: 75.C04.001)
Edi Wyss, who had worked as a mechanic and engineer in the USA and England (including at McLaren) before joining Sauber in Hinwil, designed and built the C4. He was supported by Sauber employees Guy Boissin and Hans Engesser.
The Sauber C4, of which only one example exists, has an aluminum monocoque with a riveted-in subframe. What was "state of the art" at the time was retained by Sauber up to and including the C9; after that, composites were the new benchmark in chassis construction.
The Sauber C4 was powered by the same 2.0-liter Ford-Cosworth-BDG four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine with 275 hp (205 kW) as its predecessor, the Sauber C3.
