Issigonis showed little interest in things mechanical until he was well into his teens, not riding in a car until he was 14 years old, and was seemingly more interested in art, under the strong influence of his mother. An advanced 4-speed fully automatic transmission was offered in these that lived in the sump and shared the engine oil, just like the manual gearbox. Issigonis never had any input into MG sports cars or the large, rear drive saloons BMC were still building the late 1960s, and the Austin 3 Litre, based on Issigoniss Austin 1800 was driven by George Harriman. He title at Alvis was Engineer in charge of passenger car design. . Issigonis officially retired from the motor industry in 1971, although he continued working until shortly before his death in 1988 at his house in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Humber was the upscale brand of the Rootes Group, but also the name of the main car building company in the Group. He died in October 1988, aged 82. Issigonis would later state that pure mathematics (is) the enemy of every truly creative man. He began his engineering career at Morris Motors Ltd. in 1936 as a steering and suspension engineer. I have labelled it the Most Significant Car of the 1940s; it is probably the most recognised British car, apart from the Mini, and the most fondly remembered car by many British families and motorists. Issigonis also insisted that no less than 80% of the cars volume be dedicated to passengers and luggage. Stooping just under six feet in height, he looms large at any [], By GEOFFREY CHARLES, Motoring Correspondent A high-level reshuffle of BMC directors areas of responsibility was announced yesterday as part of a streamlining process before completion of the BMH-Leyland merger. The suspension was also of advanced design, with trailing arm front suspension attached to a steel cross-member, and swing axle rear, all with rubber springs made of catapult elastic. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. " Sir Alec Issigonis. I do not know how many I have owned Morrises, Austins and MGs. By the mid 1950s, as Europe got back on its feet after the war, there had been many attempts to define the modern car, but none was proving to be dominantly successful. The Boudjah - Smyrna born Alec Issigonis was an engineering genius and even after his death there is a fan base for his cars. Alec Issigonis was born in Smyrna (now Izmir) in Turkey on 18 November 1906 to a British-naturalized father of Greek origin and a Bavarian-born mother. When he turned his attention to the ADO16, Issigonis continued his obsession with the maximisation of passenger space combined with the best possible road holding. Apparently Walter Chrysler could also be difficult to work with. He left Morris in 1952 for Alvis just as BMC was created from Austin and Morris (as well as Riley, Wolseley and MG).. It was still in production when BMW, led by Bernd Pischetsreider, bought Rover in 1994. Sir Alec Issigonis was one of the automotive industry's great independent thinkers. Alec Issigonis - Etsy Check out our alec issigonis selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Was it to be water or air cooled? [16], In 2003 he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in the United States. By 1945, a full scale static prototype close to the familiar production form was completed. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. It was more like a Lancia or a rear drive Citroen than a Rover or a Sunbeam-Talbot. 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. Most events he entered were sprints and hillclimbs, but he also competed in some circuit races. is bigger, and is just one of a family of related models. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". The problem was that I would never have initially chosen to drive one. Please check back soon for updates. But the story begins even further back, with a man named Demosthenis, Alec's grandfather, who emigrated from Greece to Asia-Minor in the 1830s and worked for the Smyrna-Aydn Railway. Oxford Office. [citation needed], Issigonis was nicknamed "the Greek god" by his contemporaries. . Fascinating piece and what a character! By 1939, Issigonis had replaced his modified Austin Seven with a more radical car of his own design, constructed of plywood laminated in aluminium sheeting, in what we would now call a composite construction. The first application of Sir Alec Issigonis' engineering breakthrough - All Photos by Randy Stern, except otherwise noted Remember Sir Alec Issigonis? He also has one of the finest technical brains in the country and he is [], THE GUARDIAN IAN BREACH interviews LORD STOKES Safety: British or American standards? His family had to flee Smyrne to es- cape the genocide of 1922 by the Turks. The original Minor design was so narrow they had to chop it lengthways and widen it. He was also referred to as the Greek God, perhaps more openly. 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. His love/hate relationship with the companys products stayed with []. Alec Issigonis An expert is someone who tells you why you can't do something. Excellent article. The challenge of designing the Mini was engineering a car that would seat four passengers and their luggage in a package not to exceed ten feet in length. Alecs education details are not available at this time. Speaking of steering, one of the earlier reviews of the Mini contained the sentence, This is the first car Ive driven that caused me to laugh out loud just going around a corner ! Or words to that effect . His paternal grandfather, Demosthenis, had migrated to Smyrna from the Greek island of Paros in the 1830s and Constantine was a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer. Issigonis studied engineering at Battersea Polytechnic in London. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. The cars quickly found their way to the scrapheap since the cost of repairing the automatic transmission typically was more than the car was worth. The suspension was trailing arms at the front, attached to a steel cross-member, and a swing axle rear, all with rubber springs made of catapult elastic. [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. I caught up to my mate and I said thats a really cool car, what is it? Thats my BrothersMini Cooper. In November 1971, Issigonis officially retired from BLMC, with a major ceremony at Longbridge, for which BL marshalled an example of every car for which he had led the design, of which only the Minor was no longer in production. He despised such luxuries as radios and comfortable seats, once stating I would like people to sit on nails to be extremely uncomfortable all the time. and declaring that an uncomfortable driver is an alert driver. Chrysler also took a licence to manufacture the device, which was an integral part of their pioneering overdrive in 1934. I was mesmerized and I saw my schoolmate being dropped off by his older brother who was on his way to high school. The Automotive Hall of Fame. In 1934 Issigonis was invited to join the drawing office at Humber Ltd in Coventry. Once more details are available, we will update this section. After briefly working elsewhere in the early 1950s, Issigonis returned to what had become the British Motor Corp., where in 1959, in response to the Suez energy crisis (1956) and the popularity of Germanys Volkswagen Beetle, he introduced the Mini. It is really amazing, when you think of it, that some 60 years later his basic vision rolls off of assembly lines all over the world. Beyond the Maxi, launched on 1969, Issigonis had left little visible influence on the new cars coming from British Leyland, and indeed, the company made definite moves that would have been unthinkable to him, such as the bold, deliberately contemporary styling of the Austin-Morris 18-22 (Princess range) or the Allegro, or the conservative engineering of the Morris Marina. Alec Issigonis nasceu na Turquia Filho de um grego naturalizado britnico casado com uma turca. . The Mini remains one of the most important motoring icons of the 1960s, so it's only natural that the band would want a piece of the action as Beatles mania took hold. SOL 258H is the oldest surviving gearless car and was the preferred transport of Sir Alex Issigonis. Sir Alec Issigonis is best remembered for the Austin Mini - a car that revolutionised the small car package and probably saved the British Motor Corporation at the same time. Styled by Pininfarina, it was launched as the Morris 1100 in 1962, and a year later as the Austin 1100, and the clean, classical lines of the car served BMC well. [], The most comprehensive story youll ever read about the aborted 9X programme the ill-fated Mini replacement, engineered by the man who created the original. Issigonis made a grandfather clock from it, which kept good time. [12], In 1964 Issigonis was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI). During 1956 Issigonis concentrated on the larger two cars, producing several prototypes for testing. In 1936, he moved to Morris Motors Limited at Cowley working on an independent front suspension system for the Morris 10. Subsequently my main triumph of design is a carbon block conveyor that fit into an oddly shaped spot while using less pieces of steel than its predecessor. Issigonis had also been involved in the larger Oxford, Isis and Wolseley ranges. Biography: Sir ALEC issigonis - The designer of Britain's favourite cars, Britain's favourite car designer . *27/02/01 The new Mini which will go on sale in the UK summer 2001, was , being unveiled for the first time. 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 . [], By Clifford Webb British Leyland are selling the Mini at a loss despite the latest price increase and the fact that after 14 years it is still their top export [], Lord Stokes writes to Sir Alec Issigonis on this day. In 1961, with the Mini gaining popularity, Issigonis was promoted to Technical Director of BMC. Engine access on the Mini was very awkward, and this was only improved on the ADO16 because Jack Daniels was able to keep Issigonis away from the detail work, which was largely done at Cowley in Oxford rather than Longbridge. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . [4] Issigonis would work on the 9X programme, which included a replacement Mini and a new and innovative gearless transmission system. Shortly after in 1962, when gender roles were thought to be defined, one woman chose a life of speed. Updates? Generation. I was amazed at the amount of space in that car you could even hide things in the cubbyhole under the rear seat. In 1968, he was appointed as Director of Advanced Research of the newly formed British Leyland, and Harry Webster from Triumph became BLMCs Engineering Director. American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, Biography: Sir Alec Issigonis The Designer of Britains Favourite Cars, Britains Favourite Car Designer, I have labelled it the Most Significant Car of the 1940s, Vintage R&T Technical Analysis: AMCs New Pacer As Short As A Pinto; As Wide As A Chevelle, Vintage Car Life Comparison: 1961 VW Bus, Corvair Greenbrier, and Ford Econoline Wherein A 40 HP VW Bus Ties An 80 HP Greenbrier In The 1/4 Mile, Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: NSU Ro80 Just Your Typical Bay Area Car Show, The CC Graveyard: Part Three An Exotic Foreigner Hiding In The Bushes, Wordless Outtake: Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Renault, MAN The Subcontractors Sixsome, BOAL: 1982 Honda GL500 Silverwing Chapter 5, The Baby Wing. He immigrated to Britain in 1922, studied engineering and in 1948 masterminded the Morris Minor, the first British car to sell more than a million. The first car to repeat the concept of the Mini was the ADO16, which is often considered to be Issigoniss finest hour. The first front wheel drive car from BL after Issigoniss retirement was the Austin Allegro, still with the gearbox in the sump and without the obvious hatchback. Lord Alfred Robens , Chairman of the National Coal Board, wearing cap and gown as he is installed as the new Chancellor of the University of . In 1936, Issigonis moved again, to the Morris Motor Company, as a project engineer on an independent front suspension system for the Morris 10, where his experience at Rootes would start to bear fruit. Innovative. This would have been in the early 70s when they were literally everywhere. The lower picture is is an early (1958) Issigonis drawing of his vision for the Mini. Maybe because theyd lost the Issigonis chassis manners? Here in Australia they didnt seem particularly small, but they were certainly a lot more roomy than the competition. Alec Issigonis: The Man Who Made the Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, 81; Designer of Minicar And Morris Minor. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death and commemorations 4 Some of his cars He continued to be responsible for his original XC projects. Cooper took the prototype out for a spin and realised this fuel-saving people's car cornered like no other. That Alvis is one of those missed opportunities that ultimately doomed the company. LJK Setright, in his book The Designers describes Issigonis as working as a sculptor works, moving masses into different juxtapositions until his trained eye told him they were right. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. This isnt 1942. I was eight when my dad bought one of those brand new cars at a reduced price from the NYC dealer $850 for an Austin 850 ($6,800 in 2016 money) Unique. Matchbox featured an MG 1100 in its 1-75 line-up for many years. Kereta rekaannya, BMC Mini dilancarkan dalam tahun 1959. It was as modern and progressive in 1948 as the ADO16 Morris 1100 was in 1962, and let down only by the relatively weak and old side valve engine. And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . Been a fan of Alec Issigonis since I was 8 years old. His retirement gift from the company was the largest available Meccano set, complete with a steam engine. 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. The big steering wheels angle was a bit bus-like though. Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Cyber Sales Event Jewelry & Accessories Clothing & Shoes Post FROM OUR MIDLAND CORRESPONDENT BIRMINGHAM, Nov. 13 The name of the man who will head the British Motor Corporations new amalgamated design unit when []. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born in the Turkish town of Smyrna, today's Izmir, as the son of a Briton of Greek origin and a mother from Bavaria, on 18 November 1906. His mother was from Bavaria. Issigonis continued to work as Engineering Director at the Austin-Morris Division of BMC, and as Technical Director of BMC in 1965. Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. Looking at the Minor or the Mini, I can believe that. Sir Alec Issigonis. [3][6] His father died shortly after and Issigonis and his mother moved to the United Kingdom in 1923. Professor Alex Moulton. It was through his mother's kinships that Issigonis was a first cousin once removed to BMW and Volkswagen director Bernd Pischetsrieder.[5]. Issigonis worked as a draughtsman and design engineer, and also in a sales and project engineer role, succeeding in securing Rover as a customer use the freewheel device on the new for 1933 Rover Ten (P1 series, above). 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. . Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. Day terminated the consultancy agreement, without any more consultation. To achieve this feat, Issigonis utilized a front wheel drive layout with a transverse-mounted engine, the first modern application of this concept. He then moved on to Alvis, where he worked on the development of a luxury saloon, but the project had to be discontinued for cost reasons. It was created in response to a crisis and was a genius piece of packaging which will forever be Sir Alec Issigonis legacy to the automotive world. It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. Issigonis' creation was remarkable, but it really only became a Mini when he got a little help from his friend, motorsport pioneer John Cooper. The war prevented this design from going into production but it was later used on the MG Y-type. Sounds like his stubbornness had a lot in common with Henry Ford and his reluctance to move on from the Model T. Imagine trying to take him seriously when he declared an uncomfortable driver is an alert driver. Austin Maxi: Big On The Inside But Not On The Outside, What a great write up Roger. The car was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show, alongside the Land Rover and Jaguar XK120, and the rest is pure CC history. Yes, it ran like hell when operable as the owner treated it like an Army Jeep. In response to the Suez Oil Crisis, British Motor Company asked Issigonis to head the development of a small, fuel-efficient car that would become the Morris Mini. All Rights Reserved. I wanted to know the genesis. Having been a passenger in an early Austin Landcrab on several occasions I can confirm they are amazingly spacious inside, front and rear. Issigonis with XC/9001, the car that became the Landcrab. The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. 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. BMC made cuts of 6,000 in the labour force almost overnight and without consultation, whilst Lord noted the sales of the imported European bubble cars. And Alec Issigonis? But beneath this surface, he was a sensitive and more vulnerable person, and was almost certainly (and inexcusably) the subject of some intolerance and prejudice from the UK born staff. The closure of the Suez canal created . Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. So in here in the U.S. the ADO16 went down in obscurity, while its far less sophisticated but more reliable competition built by the Axis powers took over the small car market. Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world? What a great. [citation needed] Issigonis often commented to friends and colleagues that the Austin 1800 (ADO17) was the design he was most proud of, even though it never was as commercially successful as his three preceding designs. Like many famous people and celebrities, Alec Issigonis kept his personal life private. However, there was more to his life than just one car. Issigonis legacy. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. In March 1957 Lord asked (more likely told, as Lord did not do asking) Issigonis to come up with something to compete with them. [9] He was cremated at the Lodge Hill Cemetery in nearby Selly Oak. in there was a 1 hr "The Mini Man " -Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 by great friend and car fanatic Peter Ustinov. After these cars, and the formation of British Leyland in 1968, Issigonis was sidelined by a new influx of engineers led by Triumphs Harry Webster. Well, he went down in history as the father of the Mini and was even raised to nobility for his services. A colleague of his had a VW Polo then and kept shaking his head: Well, yes, if there were no other compact cars in the world , Mr. Roger Carr, Thank you. I dont remember Dad as being what youd call a sporting driver, but he never considered the later Austin-based Oxfords. The Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum is now home to the Issigonis Prototype 1970 Mini 9X 'Gearless', donated to the Museum by the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, Warwickshire. The family had an engineering business making marine engines and pumps, and it was from observing his father at work that he determined to become an engineer. Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Horse. The Minor was, of course, a huge success, for Nuffield and for Issigonis. The key point to the genesis of the Minor is that Issigonis owned the whole design, including the exterior style, the interior,which had some of the starkness and simple functionality familiar from Issigoniss later designs. He designed the Mini, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and voted the second most influential car of the 20th century in 1999. 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. This was to be an advanced saloon with all aluminium V-8 engine, and the original plan was for Alvis to produce 5,000 cars a year, or ten times Alviss current production rate, to compete with Riley (not then a badge engineered BMC product), Rover, Sunbeam-Talbot and Jaguar. In conjunction with Issigonis work, Lord contracted Pininfarina to lead the styling of BMCs new cars, starting with the conventionally engineered Austin A40 Farina in 1958. In 1952, the year BMC was formed, he moved to Alvis where he designed an advanced saloon, and experimented with interconnected independent suspension systems. Required fields are marked *. Sir Alec Issigonis: an insight into the great man, from an interview originally published in Autocar magazine to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Mini. I have liked them ever since. 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. It was the highlight of my career and came early as I was just 18 years old and just an apprentice engineer for a tractor company. I love the comment made by Red Foreman on That 70s Show when asked about the Toyota Corolla he had recently purchased due to the gas crisis: Bob: Red, a Toyota? Fascinating lost papers from the man who created the Mini and the. He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. If only it had had more power and better gearing. Towards the end of WW2, he began work on the Mosquito project, which ended up being launched in 1948 as the Morris Minor. In later years, the car would become known simply as the Mini. People of this zodiac sign like truth, being right, longtime friends, teasing, and dislike dishonesty, revealing secrets, passive people. Alec is also well known as, British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. Alec Issigonis It is much easier to drive without having an accident. 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. A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF THE MINI FOUNDER. In 1952, just as the British Motor Corporation (BMC) was formed by the merger of Morris and Austin, he moved to Alvis Cars where he designed an advanced saloon with all-aluminium V-8 engine, and experimented with interconnected independent suspension systems. When we stopped sending children up chimneys we reemployed them to work or minis. Issigonis was dismissive of market research, The public dont know what they want; its my job to tell them and even mathematics, derided as the enemy of every truly creative man. Constantine studied in England. The [], CARS AND DRIVERS by GEOFFREY CHARLES Whatever the outcome of the BMH-Leyland merger in model rationalization, intensified marketing or expansion-and any joint project will not appear for at least 3 [], MOTOR WHY IS THE ADO16? I fist saw a Mini on my way to middle school in 1965. Issigonis had the dream of becoming an automobile engineer at an early age. 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. 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 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. Tragically, Constantine Issigonis contracted a serious illness, and died in Malta in June 1923. The all-new Mini will be revealed today, on what would have been Mini creator Sir Alec Issigonis's 107th birthday. FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. Omissions? But at the age of 50, he began designing one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced: the classic Mini. By 1969 Fiat had also followed with the 128, and by 1974 Peugeot, VW and Renault had transverse engine hatchbacks as well. Where was the gearbox to be fitted on a front wheel drive car? . Building 9400 Oxford Business Park North Alec Issigonis Way Oxford OX4 2HN His motor industry career at Humber, and during his time there, he competed in motor racing notably designing his own lightweight version of a supercharged Ulster Austin Seven with his own front axle. Decades later, despite enormous further developments, the vehicle has lost none of its initial charm. In a front-wheel-drive car, with more understeer and/or a bit more resistance at the wheel, this effect might be enhanced ? Ultimately, Alvis had to cancel the project, after the first prototype had been built but before the company had committed to the expenditure of production tooling. Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. Issigonis was a remarkable engineer and obviously made his mark. His mother was Bavarian, the daughter of a brewer. [1][2], Issigonis was born on 18 November 1906 in the Ottoman port city of Smyrna, the only child of Constantine Issigonis and Hulda Prokopp. Alec is . Who are the richest people in the world? Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio and was born in the G.I. John Daly, Your email address will not be published. His father Constantine Issigonis was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from Paros. Ruling Planet: Alec Issigonis had a ruling planet of Pluto and has a ruling planet of Pluto. : Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis , CBE, FRS, RDI 19061118-1988102 . MINI. Demosthenis acquired British nationality through the work he did for the British-built Smyrna-Aydin Railway.
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