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. By 1945, a full scale static prototype close to the familiar production form was completed. I am well acquainted with the brilliant/stubborn/arrogant type of engineer, I have occasionally served as a Daniels, and my own brilliant/stubborn/arrogant Grandfather could have probably used one too. At the opening of the factory BMC was represented by Sir Alec Issigonis. The change was not handled well though, with credible accounts of a literally tearful Issigonis wandering around Longbridge trying to find a new office after returning from abroad to find Webster occupying his office. Absolutely brilliant article about an engineering genius. 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. Im sure the Renault 4, 5, 6, and 16 had longitudinal engines. 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. Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. Harris Mann, having a clean sheet, not giving the Allegro or Princess a hatch in the mid 70s is another matter. is bigger, and is just one of a family of related models. I think you can see a narrower car in one of the pre-production photos, above. Below are all possible answers to this clue ordered by its rank. 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. 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. Despite its stated mission being to provide basic transport, this level of driving enjoyment, and capability, was like a non stop Christmas present. 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. Dear Mr Day I have not met you but I feel I must write to explain a few points. [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. I got to drive his Red mini when I went for fish and chips on a Friday. It was one of the first days of the new school year early September and I was walking up the sidewalk and turning the corner to head for the campus. Looking at the Minor or the Mini, I can believe that. Alec Issigonis Way Oxford Business Park Oxford OX4 2HN United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 1865 783 000 Oxford Biomedica Solutions 1 Patriots Park Bedford MA 01730 United States Telephone: +1 781 428 4536 Email :solutions.partnering@oxb.com Oxford Biomedica (Ireland) Ltd Office 502 Balheary Demense Balheary Road Swords Co. Dublin Ireland Issigoniss mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. 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 . On 15 October 2006 a rally was held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England, to celebrate the centenary of Issigonis's birth. Your email address will not be published. : Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis , CBE, FRS, RDI 19061118-1988102 . Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Your article sure did him justice; thank you, Roger. The loss of British sovereignty led not only to a political defeat but also to an oil crisis. Address 8050 Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford, OX4 2HW. In 1961, with the Mini gaining popularity, Issigonis was promoted to Technical Director of BMC. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. (I can remember seeing Austin Americas just a few years old being offered up for $50.) Alec Issigonis and Dr Alex Moulton, the creator of Hydrolastic and Hydragas suspension, with a Morris 1100, circa 1962. It has since proved to be the template for the small car for nearly 60 years it has still not been bettered and was followed as early as 1963 by the Autobianchi Primula, which had the first end on gearbox on its transverse engine, by the 1965 Peugeot 204 with a configuration closer to the ADO16 but larger, and 1967 by the Simca 1100, the first to combine an end on gearbox and a hatchback. Been a fan of Alec Issigonis since I was 8 years old. Sticks in my mind I read a road test that put engine speed at 60 around 4,000rpm. When Alvis cancelled the project, Issigonis was invited by BMC Chairman Sir Leonard Lord to return to BMC at Longbridge, as Chief Body and Chassis engineer, and reporting to BMC Technical Director Sydney Smith. Alec is also well known as, British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). The family is almost penniless. An engineering genius and godfather of of the Mini. Thanks for a wonderfully researched article! Issigonis died in England in 1988 at the age of 81, having lived long enough to see his beloved Mini sell in excess of five million units. Alec Issigonis is part of G.I. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. He was also responsible for the development of the Mini Moke, initially intended for military use, though it subsequently became another popular icon of British automotive engineering that, like the Mini, attained cult status. A truly fascinating man he was. Then of course there was severe corrosion in the face of road salt. Austin 1800 (ADO18 Landcrab): Best In Class Or Just Plain Ugly? Moultons hydrolastic suspension as installed on the BMC ADO16 by Issigonis. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Therefore some functionality is missing. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". ADO15, 16 & 17 (36792752942).jpg 1 712 1 936; 589 KB 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. 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. So Sir Alec Issigonis had an impact on my life. August 26, 2019. His mother was from Bavaria. BLMC says, Archive : Lord Stokes writes to Alec Issigonis, Archive : How Harry Webster is going to shape your car, Archive : The Thoughts of Chairman Stokes, Archive : Issigonis The Giant Who Thought Small, Archive : Creative role for Issigonis in BMC board switch, Archive : Mr Issigonis looks to the future, Archive : Interview Motor meets Alec Issigonis, The cars : Alfa Romeo Alfasud development story, Opinion : Celebrating 40 years of the Austin Maestro, Essay : Austin Maestro styling the real killer, Concepts and prototypes : LM10 and LM11 facelifts, Archive : Coventry Council Debates Rover Crisis, News : PSA confirms continued van production in Luton. 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. Encouraged by the success of the Morris Minor, Issigonis continued his design work at Morris (including work on a replacement for the Minor with a transverse 4 cylinderengine with an endon gearbox) until the merger with the Austin in 1952 to form BMC. On a cheerier note, Id love to see that Alvin on the flesh. A very enjoyable read on a man whose name I knew in conjunction with so many brilliant designs, but who I previously knew little about. It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. This was partly because of the cost but also because in 1953 Ford bought Briggs UK operations and 1954 BMC bought Fisher & Ludlow. A truly great man and an honour for me. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. He failed his degree course but gained a diploma in Mechanical Engineering, at the third attempt, in 1928. Issigonis had the dream of becoming an automobile engineer at an early age. Most events entered were sprints, but he also raced at circuits. Biography: Sir ALEC issigonis - The designer of Britain's favourite cars, Britain's favourite car designer . . Issigonis was a good packaging designer. 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. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Production only finished after BMW had bailed out of Rover in 2000. [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. 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. In October, 1957, just eight months after first putting pen to paper, the first prototypes were on the road. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS terkenal kerana menjadi pencipta kereta Mini yang menjadi ikon tahun 1960-an. RM G4TJWM - Alec Issigonis, creator of the British Motor Corporation 'Mini' car range, drives the 1,000,000th Mini off the production line at the Austin Plant at Longbridge, Birmingham. This would have been in the early 70s when they were literally everywhere. 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. After studying engineering, he joined Morris Motors in 1936 as a suspension designer. He still worked to his consultancy agreement but did so almost exclusively from home, briefing and debriefing nominated BL engineers each morning. The rest is racing . 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. Humber was the upscale brand of the Rootes Group, but also the name of the main car building company in the Group. The Renault 14 was transversely engined, from 1976. Smrna was then the second city of the Ottoman Empire and had a local population of around one million, of which more than half were Greek. I tell you the last time I was that close to a Japanese machine, it was shooting at me.. Issigonis and his team produced a revolutionary car that featured a small exterior with a spacious passenger compartment and outstanding handling characteristics. Constantine was very proud of his British citizenship and Alec grew up in a traditional British type of household. 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. O interesse pelo automvel veio aos 12 anos, quando ele viu um pela primeira vez. 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. Its entirely believable that Issigonis would have been prosecuted if hed had gay sex. Born Alexandros Arnoldos Konstantinos Issigonis on the 18th of November, 1906, Alexander Issigonis' family were part of the Greek community in the port city of Smrna. It interested me as I had the honour of working with sir Alec for around 3 months. Did they aim to build in greater volume, to compete with emerging brands such as Jaguar, or did they retreat further upmarket or even entirely into other activities? He remained on the BL books as a consultant until 1988, shortly before his death. But accounts do suggest it done in a pretty crass way. The lower picture is is an early (1958) Issigonis drawing of his vision for the Mini. 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. the outer planets, Uranus and Neptune were not yet discovered, since the telescope had not yet been invented. Issigonis with XC/9001, the car that became the Landcrab. *27/02/01 The new Mini which will go on sale in the UK summer 2001, was , being unveiled for the first time. That is how many of us know about these cars or about many 1960s British cars, in general. A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. Proslavil se zejmna nvrhem vozu Mini, kter uvedla na trh British Motor Corporation v . [], 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. A series engine, with gearbox beneath and side mounted radiator. 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. . Alec Issigoniss mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . 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. 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. I fist saw a Mini on my way to middle school in 1965. The typical American indifference to regular maintenance did not play well with this setup. 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. Issigonis made a grandfather clock from it, which kept good time. 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. Prior to his death, Alec and his mother travelled overland to London. 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. [citation needed] He considered it to be a vehicle that combined many of the luxuries and conveniences of a good motor car with a price suitable for the working classes in contrast to the Mini which was a spartan mode of conveyance with everything cut to the bone. Alec Issigonis nasceu na Turquia Filho de um grego naturalizado britnico casado com uma turca. 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. In 1957, Issigonis received the project that would make him famous. The cars design with its front wheel drive and independent suspension provided good road handling, but Issigonis had scant regard for passenger comfort. Issigonis legacy. For his accomplishments, Queen Elizabeth knighted Issigonis in 1969. Noch ein Mini! And the result was the creation of more than just an economical car. XC/9002 became ADO16 and was launched as the Morris 1100 with the Hydrolastic interconnected suspension system in August 1962. Ford clinging to the T too long was the same sort of corporate inertia that had VW clinging to the Bug too long. Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Cyber Sales Event Jewelry & Accessories Clothing & Shoes If only it had had more power and better gearing. A flawed genius, yes, and BMCs failure to manage him is clear. He showed that cars could be practical and pleasant to ride in and drive, and that size was not everything; he defined the template for the small petrol engined car for 50 years, maybe longer, and showed how modest cars could become wish list items, attracting customer such as Enzo Ferrari. The Mini was launched in 1959, and became instantly popular. [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. A more powerful engine, bigger brakes and a few tuning tweaks later, the Classic Mini Cooper 997 was introduced. His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis . By the mid 1970s, Issigonis was beginning suffer from Menieres disease, and the consequent loss of full control of his balance let him to retreat from prominence. Issigonis was born on 18 November 1906 in the Ottoman port city of Smyrna, the only child of Constantine Issigonis and Hulda Prokopp. I hope he knew that he changed the Automobile World for the better. He was a race car driver during the 30s and 40s. 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. Issigonis did observe and try to improve on what he saw, but always challenged himself to be original and better. Maybe because theyd lost the Issigonis chassis manners? His retirement gift from the company was the largest available Meccano set, complete with a steam engine. This car basically took the Mini concept and enlarged it by 20%, adding some experience, and ambition, at the same time. By placing an A series four cylinder engine transversely with the gearbox underneath in the sump and sharing the oil, and moving the wheels to the corners, he saved so much space that it was possible to accommodate a four seat car within a length of 10 feet. Alec Issigonis: The Man Who Made the Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, 81; Designer of Minicar And Morris Minor. [4] They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. Alexandros Arnold Constantine Issigonis, more commonly known as Alec Issigionis, was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, on November 18, 1906. He didnt say by 1974 in regard to VW and Renault. This was the man who persisted in pursuing a gearless car using only a torque converter, who rubbished CAD in favour of slide rules, who did most of his designs in rough and passed them to his acolytes to make real. Durante o curso ele foi reprovado trs vezes em matemtica. An amazing man, and someone who would probably never rise to prominence in todays auto industry. Alec Issigonis An expert is someone who tells you why you can't do something. In many ways, this car was a clear, but simpler, derivative of the work Issigonis had been doing at Alvis, and Issigonis recruited some former colleagues from Alvis to BMC to develop V6 and V4 engines for the projected BMC cars, possibly using the aborted work at Alvis as a basis. There he witnessed the awe inspiring (and Nazi funded) Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix cars, as well as the Alfa Romeo P3 of Nuvolari, which won the race, much to the Nazis discomfort. My sister had an MG 1100 which blew me away in 1970. Alec Issigonis, the brilliant British designer of the Morris Minor and the Mini, is one of the commanding figures in the history of automobile design and engineering. Like many famous people and celebrities, Alec Issigonis kept his personal life private.

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