Brabham BT52
Gordon Murray's dart-shaped BMW turbo Brabham, which made Nelson Piquet the first world champion with a turbocharged engine.
- Power
- 650 bhp
About the Brabham BT52
When flat-bottomed cars became compulsory for 1983, Gordon Murray abandoned three finished BT51s and designed the BT52 from scratch with six weeks to go before the opening race. To find traction he put roughly 70 per cent of the weight over the rear wheels, with short angular sidepods, a large rear wing and a small fuel tank sized for the newly reintroduced refuelling stops. BMW's four-cylinder turbo produced around 650 bhp in race trim and approximately 850 bhp in qualifying. Nelson Piquet won in Brazil, Italy and at the European Grand Prix to take the title, and Riccardo Patrese won the Kyalami finale.
Brabham BT52 specs
The Brabham BT52 produces 650 bhp (485 kW).
| Make | Brabham |
|---|---|
| Model | BT52 |
| Years | 1983 |
| Type | Race car |
| Body style | Open-wheel single-seater |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Engine | 1.5L turbocharged inline-4 (BMW M12/13) |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 1,499 cc (1.5 litres) |
| Induction | Turbocharged |
| Power | 650 bhp (485 kW) |
| Transmission | 5- or 6-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive |
| Weight | 540 kg (1,190 lb) |
| Power-to-weight | 1204 bhp per tonne |
Typical figures for the standard car; options, markets and model years vary. Where our specs come from
Brabham BT52 rarity in CarSpot
The Brabham BT52 is a Unicorn card in CarSpot, with a rarity score of 42 out of 100. The rarest tier: hypercars, one-offs and cars built in tiny numbers, typically fewer than about 500. A Unicorn card is worth 320 XP.
Each model's tier starts from a 0–100 score based on its value plus its power or production numbers. Once enough players have spotted a model, how often it is spotted can move it up or down one tier. How CarSpot rarity works
Rarity is a collectible game mechanic, not an assessment of real-world scarcity or value.
Brabham BT52 fun facts
- The mid-season BT52B can be told apart from the original car because its colour scheme was reversed.
- After introduction at the Canadian Grand Prix, the BT52B won three of the remaining seven races of 1983.
- A special batch of fuel from German company Wintershall was part of the late-season development that helped Piquet's title charge.