The car will hit the track for the first time on Tuesday at the start of the second - and final - pre-season test in Barcelona, Sauber having elected to run an evolution of their 2015 machine during the first four-day session in Spain last week.
"We want to clearly improve," team boss Monisha Kaltenborn said. "Obviously, there's a certain position we'd like to achieve.
"But, to start with, it's important to become established in midfield. Only then are we going to focus on individual positions."
The Swiss team say the car is more 'evolution' rather than revolution compared to last year, but insist that a 'slightly changed philisophy' in terms of design - and in particular a revised approach on aerodynamics - has resulted in 'significant' gains.
In addition, Sauber have been able to package the rear of their car more tightly - aided by Ferrari's new gearbox - and to cut weight in several areas relative to last year.
"For the development of the Sauber C35-Ferrari, we slightly changed the philosophy of how we developed the car aerodynamically," technical director Mark Smith explained. "It sounds little, but the impact on the development of the car is significant."
Sauber are the last team to unveil their 2016 car, although Toro Rosso have not yet revealed their livery for the coming season - they will do so from the Barcelona pit lane on Tuesday morning.
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