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Issigonis grandfather, Demosthenis Issigonis, had emigrated from Paros in Greece to Smyrna (as Izmir was then known) in the mid 19th century where his engineering company helped the British built the Smyrna-Aydn Railway, and through this acquired British citizenship. Sticks in my mind I read a road test that put engine speed at 60 around 4,000rpm. Issigonis' creation was remarkable, but it really only became a Mini when he got a little help from his friend, motorsport pioneer John Cooper. Fascinating piece and what a character! [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. Joseph Lowrey, [], The Mini hit its big landmark in 1969, a seismic year in the history of BMC>Rover. In 1957, Issigonis received the project that would make him famous. A series engine, with gearbox beneath and side mounted radiator. Alec Issigonis Quotes - BrainyQuote BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. Like many famous people and celebrities, Alec Issigonis kept his personal life private. The Automotive Hall of Fame. Rover used the freewheel extensively, on cars and Land Rovers, into the 1960s. In 1942, Morris gave Issigonis overall responsibility for an all-new model; the Morris Minor. It amounted to no more than surface rust on the chassis. The Mini was designed by. 18 November 1906 2 October 1988", Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, " Alec Issigonis | Automotive Hall of Fame", Alec Issigonis Automotive Designer (19061988), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alec_Issigonis&oldid=1135124708, This page was last edited on 22 January 2023, at 19:54. The mini leaked like a sieve because of the way hed designed the sills and had to be redesigned. Alec Issigonis and Dr Alex Moulton, the creator of Hydrolastic and Hydragas suspension, with a Morris 1100, circa 1962. [14], He was granted the rank of Knight Bachelor in the 1969 Birthday Honours[15] and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 22 July of the same year. BMCs Great Leap Forward was a bold move, unfortunately marred by the inability to check Issigonis tendencies that often put the buyer last instead of first. At Alvis, Issigoniss main task was to lead the development of a more affordable, higher volume luxury car. [5]:277. [citation needed], Issigonis was nicknamed "the Greek god" by his contemporaries. At the opening of the factory BMC was represented by Sir Alec Issigonis. Road & Tracks test of the Austin America included the line, Superb four-speed fully automatic transmission makes more difference than youd believe possible. But they also noted that with just a few thousand miles on their test car, there was some issue (I forget what) with the trunk lock, and the outside of the engine was covered with oily black grime. Daniels effectively resumed his position as Issigoniss right hand man for the next ten years or more, guiding the interpretation of Issigoniss requests to the workshops, draughtsmen, production engineers and accountants. Another Mini! [], In Part One of this fascinating series, which originally appeared in Vehicle Engineer,AROnline Contributor IanElliott applies his insider knowledge to spelling out the exact sequence of mergers that led to [], Photography: Martin Bell One of the design team who worked on the original Mini has revealed how the revolutionary small car came about. Kereta rekaannya, BMC Mini dilancarkan dalam tahun 1959. Sir Alec Issigonis - Person - National Portrait Gallery Independence is one of their greatest strengths, but sometimes they're overly frank with others. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. My appreciation of Issigonis designs really came when Auntie Merle traded her Austin A30 (horrible car) for a Morris 1100. Historiography: The Misapplication of Issigonis' Engineering Breakthrough https://www.mini.com/ On a cheerier note, Id love to see that Alvin on the flesh. [9] He was cremated at the Lodge Hill Cemetery in nearby Selly Oak. PDF SIR ALEC ISSIGONIS was an automobile engineer whose name will always be Well, he went down in history as the father of the Mini and was even raised to nobility for his services. He was reluctant to consider features such as large boots or hatchbacks, or engine access, as important. *27/02/01 The new Mini which will go on sale in the UK summer 2001, was , being unveiled for the first time. Issigonis legacy - Education Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. If (and I have no evidence and make no suggestions) a young Issigonis had been outed in, say, the early 1950s, his career progression would likely have been ended even, without any prosecution. And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. Sir Alec Issigonis celebrates one of the many milestones of the Mini dynasty. A testament to brilliant design or to the modern industrys tendencies towards aversion of risk, I wont say surely some of both. As a young man, Constantine was sent to England to study, and he later married Hulda Prokopp, the daughter of a wealthy German brewer in Smyrna. If only it had had more power and better gearing. His love/hate relationship with the companys products stayed with []. 1959: The Mini Was Born. | MINI.com Issigoniss legacy is undoubtedly best seen through his cars, from the Minor to the Maxi, which challenged conventions through engineering ingenuity. Probably 30 of these made over the past dozen years, not quite Mini production numbers.. Another excellent piece Roger, and thank you for bringing it to us. Alec Issigonis - Wikipedia . Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio and was born in the G.I. [3] Whilst he is most famous for his creation of the Mini, he was most proud of his participation in the design of the Morris Minor. I hardly ever drove a Mini or an 1100, but many miles of driving a Landcrab made me understand why it was so very good, in spite of some engineering shortcuts. He would instead research work on his Mini replacement the 9X with its compact transverse engine. The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. Tragically, Constantine Issigonis contracted a serious illness, and died in Malta in June 1923. Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. The Boudjah - Smyrna born Alec Issigonis was an engineering genius and even after his death there is a fan base for his cars. All I know is, which car I would rather be in driving if there was any tricky situation [], DAILY MIRROR By Richard Sear No man looks less designed to start off the cult of the miniature. So Sir Alec Issigonis had an impact on my life. As a matter of interest, go to this site: and click on the Letter From Dr. Alex Moulton link. Once more details are available, we will update this section. Issgoniss retirement, with George Turnbull, then Managing Director of Austin-Morris. Address 8050 Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford, OX4 2HW. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. Intriguingly, it seems that the car was possibly designed to be suitable for a front wheel drive layout, with a flat floor and compact Moulton rubber cone suspension, leaving a large and spacious engine bay. Morriss chief engineer, A V (Vic) Oak, recognised that Issigoniss greatest asset was his imagination but also noted that it needed to be guided firmly but carefully to bring out the best of it. Fascinating lost papers from the man who created the Mini and the. Its practicality and affordability made it immediately popular; by the time of Issigonis death more than five million had been sold. A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF THE MINI FOUNDER. Alec Issigonis - Trivia, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays Issigonis customer in this case was Maurice Wilks, later the man behind the Land Rover. The Minor, Mini, ADO16 and Landcrab all had character, and were all friendly cars. Alec Issigonis Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS, RDI (Alec Issigonis) was born on 18 November 1906 in Smyrna in Greece (now Izmir, Turkey) and would become world-renowned for designing the Mini and Morris Minor for BMC. Demosthenis's son (Alec's father) Constantine Issigonis (Greek: ), was born, with British nationality, in Smyrna in 1872. Yes, it ran like hell when operable as the owner treated it like an Army Jeep. Given his disrupted education, unusual background and the tough economic times that were the late 1920s, finding a job was not easy, but in 1928, and by now a British citizen in his own right, Issigonis took his first job in the motor industry, for Edward Gillett in London, through a networking contact he had made at Battersea. In later years, the car would become known simply as the Mini. His iconoclasm ensured that, despite the constraints of working in an industry where the size and complexity of the process meant that even the most forceful of designers was only one member of a large team, Issigonis cars bore his own stamp from the 1948 Morris Minor to the 1969 Maxi. Building 9400 Oxford Business Park North Alec Issigonis Way Oxford OX4 2HN Great write about a very clever guy, but he was wrong an uncomfortable driver is an irritable driver who fatigues rather more quickly, The Landcrab while being comfortable to ride in as a passenger is not so nice to drive nor are the smaller cars from BMC, there are many surviving ADO16s here and NZ is still the Morris Minor capital of the world they will never become rare here and for that matter neither will real Minis but 1800s and Maxis are quite thin on the ground already yet were popular new they werent very durable though, and the last Princess Ive seen is a rusty example outside the British car museum at Te Awanga, Personally having driven all his ideas the Morris Minor was his best one that saw production, I got my first car licence in a Morry Thou. [17], Learn how and when to remove this template message, 1938 Issigonis Lightweight Special at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, "The creator of an iconic car: Alec Issigonis", "The Genuine MOKE | Steer clear of imitations | Story", "Pre de l'Austin "Mini" Alec Issigonis est mort", "Review of 'The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Design Since 1900 (2nd edition)', "Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis. His stubbornness, I would say, had more in common with Ford starting production of the T, when everyone was telling him to make expensive cars because they were more profitable. Alecs education details are not available at this time. Issigonis designed a unitary construction saloon and the V8 engine, and utilised Moultons latest interconnected rubber suspension. At some point in the mid-60s they ran an After the New Wears Off feature by an MG 1100 owner in Los Angeles. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Cyber Sales Event Jewelry & Accessories Clothing & Shoes Starting around 1930, he raced a supercharged "Ulster" Austin Seven, later fitting it with a front axle of his own design, leading to employment at Austin. ALEC ISSIGONIS Automotive Designer (1906-1988) One of the most original car designers of the modern era, ALEC ISSIGONIS (1906-1988) is best known as the creator of the Mini, but also designed two more of the five best-selling cars in British motoring history - the Morris Minor and the Austin 1100. . Where was the gearbox to be fitted on a front wheel drive car? The childhood . Moultons hydrolastic suspension as installed on the BMC ADO16 by Issigonis. Alec Issigonis - Etsy Check out our alec issigonis selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Issigonis had no input to the Marina (other than it using substantial elements from the Morris Minor of course) or the Allegro, as BMC had passed a thin very development programme to Leyland in 1968, largely due to financial pressures. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. Another Mini!). Shunning all offers of silver service with the management. Was it to be water or air cooled? I dont have any great memories of the Mini to share, though you saw them everywhere. He was impossible to work with, had Henry Fords arrogance and nearly bankrupted the company like Ford, by refusing to listen to anyone. Alec Issigonis - Etsy During the Second World War, Britain was in control of the Suez Canal, which served as an important source of oil, but this changed during the so called Suez crisis in 1956. This strong streak of fierce independence and lack of compromise hid his lateral approach to the design and engineering of cars. Issigonis' first cousin once removed was Bernd Pischetsreider, responsible . Everyman Classics: Mid-Century Visionary 1 : Alec Issigonis MINI, official partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB, has unveiled its new London 2012 special, Keith Adams Well, Christmas and Boxing Day are out of the way and the, The replacement for the Austin-Healey 3000 never took off, thanks in part to a poor, British Motor Holdings the joining of BMC and Jaguar, The cars : Mini (ADO15) development story Part One, Concepts and prototypes : BMC 9X (1968-87), Blog : Why the Italians beat us to a supermini by a decade, History : The Road to Perdition Part One, Interview : Alec Issigonis on the BMC 1100, Archive : Mini Shortlisted For Car Of The Century, Archive : Mini still sold at a loss. I was amazed at the amount of space in that car you could even hide things in the cubbyhole under the rear seat. Alec Issigonis was a Greek-British automobile engineer and designer, best known for designing the Mini, a compact car that became a cultural icon in Britain and other countries. Ford clinging to the T too long was the same sort of corporate inertia that had VW clinging to the Bug too long. The first car I could identify was apparently a Mini and my mother still tells the story of an early trip to England where I wouldnt be quiet Ein Mini! They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. This car basically took the Mini concept and enlarged it by 20%, adding some experience, and ambition, at the same time. November 18, 1906 Car designer Alec Issigonis, the man who gave the world the Mini, was born in Turkey on this day to a Greek father and Bavarian mother. IAN NICHOLLS recalls the day the two millionth rolled off the production line [], A team of the worlds leading motoring writers, along with voters on the internet, have short-listed the legendary Mini for the ultimate motoring accolade the international Car of the [], THE GUARDIAN Lord Stokes writes about the late Sir Alec Issigonis: Alec Issigonis was a very charming and persuasive person, and a brilliant innovative engineer with a considerable capacity for [], Rover Group consultant Sir Alec Issigonis writes to chairman Graham Day. Perhaps it was a trait that ran in the family. The relationship got to the point where Issigonis had the ideas, did the sketches and Daniels did the formal drawings. Sir Alec was a combination of everything that was right AND wrong about the British car industry in his day. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS (November 18, 1906-October 2, 1988) was a Greek-British designer of cars, now remembered chiefly for the development of the Mini, launched by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1959.. Alec Issigonis . Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 2939 Words; 12 Pages; 6 Works Cited; Essay on The Pure Voice in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles This guilt convinces Tess that she must now travel to the D'Urbervilles' home and claim kin with them. Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. Austin Maxi: Big On The Inside But Not On The Outside, What a great write up Roger. This isnt 1942. The Morris Minor was an immediate success, selling over 11 million units, and was the first characterization of Issigoniss philosophy of maximizing interior space while shrinking all other components. Issigonis name will always be associated with the Morris Minor, built for over 20 years, and with the Mini, a car he designed very quickly in the late 1950s and which was built for over 40 years, throughout the tumultuous history of BMC and BLMC, ending only after the BMW led break up of the Rover Group in 2000. One thing that I learnt the hard way well not the hard way, the easy way when youre designing a new car for production, never, never copy the opposition, declared Issigonis, when asked to summarise his approach to car design. He was flattered to be copied, though. While the intention was for the space efficient FWD cars to replace much of the existing overlapping BMC range (that all should have been hatchbacks in retrospect), it would have been interesting to see a rear-wheel drive Cortina rival with fully-independent suspension derived from Issigoniss work at Alvis to slot between the 1100/1300 and 1800/2200. The cars design with its front wheel drive and independent suspension provided good road handling, but Issigonis had scant regard for passenger comfort. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). I got to drive his Red mini when I went for fish and chips on a Friday. That is how many of us know about these cars or about many 1960s British cars, in general. By 1969 Fiat had also followed with the 128, and by 1974 Peugeot, VW and Renault had transverse engine hatchbacks as well. There was no radio fitted as he thought it would distract the driver. in there was a 1 hr "The Mini Man " -Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 by great friend and car fanatic Peter Ustinov. Due to time pressures, the interconnected suspension system that Issigonis had planned for the car was replaced by an equally novel, but cruder, rubber cone system designed by Alex Moulton. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis ( 18. listopadu 1906 Smyrna - 2. jna 1988 Birmingham) byl ecko - britsk automobilov konstruktr narozen na zem dnenho Turecka. Cylcops center guage; magic wand shift-lever; and bus-sized steering wheel. His father Constantine Issigonis was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from Paros. Alec Issigonis was already known for his popular and respected Morris Minor. Alecs father, Constantine Issigonis, who was born in Smyrna in 1872, studied in England, and subsequently returned to Smyrna, keeping the engineering business going through the First World War and maintaining his British citizenship. I saw that same car several times, so, at least in nice weather, it apparently was a daily driver. Alec Issigonis was a hugely . meantime, John preferred his psychedelic Rolls .. Roger, hats off for this excellent treatment of an engineering legend. . To achieve this feat, Issigonis utilized a front wheel drive layout with a transverse-mounted engine, the first modern application of this concept. Alec Issigonis - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia Issigonis went into the motor industry as an engineer and designer working for Humber and competed successfully in motor racing during the 1930s and 1940s. The problem was that I would never have initially chosen to drive one. The above photo is a publicity shot with the first produced Mini, at his retirement in 1972. When he officially retired from BLMC in November 1971, Issigonis was retained by BLMC on an exclusive consultancy agreement, signed off by and reporting to the Chairman, Donald Stokes. He often had to be discreetly talked through financial documents when he was in the board meetings. MINI. I caught up to my mate and I said thats a really cool car, what is it? Thats my BrothersMini Cooper. At the end of the Greek-Turkish war in 1922, British subjects in Smyrna were evacuated by the Royal Navy, ahead of the Turkish re-possession of the area from Greece, with manyinitially travelling to Malta. Demosthenis acquired British nationality through the work he did for the British-built Smyrna-Aydin Railway. Issigonis, The Mini Mastermind - On This Day Not sure how true it is, but I read somewhere that he even designed the ashtrays for the Minor. It is arguably doubtful that Lord, knowing Issigonis better, would have seen him as the ideal candidate for the overall technical leadership of BMC. He was popular for being a Entrepreneur. BL were in thrall of the myth theyd created, but the buying public had much more sense. Alec Issigonis | Classic Cars Wiki | Fandom The Axis Powers? Upon meeting Alec, she is shy and ashamed . Alec Issigonis Facts for Kids - Kiddle The war prevented this design from going into production but it was later used on the MG Y-type. Unfortunately the ADO16 did not do well in the U.S. as the Austin America, which was imported here in an attempt to eat some of VWs lunch in the late 1960s. One tidbit I recall: when the Morris Minor design was almost finished the book showed the designer holding a brass model of the car it was decided to add a few inches of width at the centerline. Issgonis preferred to work by sketching his ideas onto Arclight pads, each numbered in sequence and retained, and then having Daniels, looking after chassis elements, or another close confidant John Sheppard, looking after the body shell itself, work to turn these in physical reality. Matchbox featured an MG 1100 in its 1-75 line-up for many years. A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. Alec Issigoniss mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review.