Brabham BT46 and BT46B
- Constructor
- brabham
- Years
- 1978–1979
- Designers
- Gordon Murray
- Engine
- Alfa Romeo 115-12 flat-12
- Configuration
- flat-12, 2995 cc, naturally aspirated
- Power
- 520 bhp (520 bhp at 12,000 rpm)
- Chassis
- aluminium alloy monocoque
- Gearbox
- Brabham 5/6-speed manual with Hewland gears
- Suspension
- Pullrod double wishbones front and rear
- Brakes
- disc
- Weight
- —
- Wheelbase
- 2590 mm
- Tyres
- Goodyear
- Races
- 0
- Wins
- 0
- Poles
- 0
- Drivers' titles
- 0
- Constructors' titles
- 0
- Specification confidence
- high
If a flat-12 is too wide for ground-effect tunnels, make the downforce a different way: extract the air from under the car with a fan
Surface heat exchangers in place of radiators on the original BT46 (which did not work); on the BT46B, an engine-driven fan drawing air from a skirted underbody
The fan was declared to be for cooling, which was true for about 30 per cent of what it did. Lauda won the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix by half a minute and the car was never raced again: Ecclestone owned Brabham and was building his position in FOCA, and the other team principals made withdrawing it the price. It remains the only car to win every Grand Prix it entered.
The BT46B won the one race it started. The conventional BT46 won at Monza the same year.