XC/9001 became ADO17 and was launched, also with the Hydrolastic suspension system, as the Austin 1800 in October 1964.The same principle was carried over for his next production car the Austin Maxi, However, by then he had become more aware of the cost considerations of vehicle manufacture and in service warranty costs which were crippling BMC. Comments about the bus-like steering wheel angle remind me of what I learned about that subject from my Italian cars (Fiats): the relatively horizontal wheel requires/enables the driver to push forward, rather than up, to make a turn a difference that makes better use of the arm, translating to easier and less tiring driving. This strong streak of fierce independence and lack of compromise hid his lateral approach to the design and engineering of cars. Sir Alec Issigonis | British automobile designer | Britannica 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 do not know how many I have owned Morrises, Austins and MGs. He took advantage of other peoples suspension designs, Moultons rubber cones and the isolastic, as they freed up more space. By 1938, Issigonis was lead engineer for steering and suspension for all the Morris car range. 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. He was also referred to as the Greek God, perhaps more openly. I saw one, in 79 or 80, sold here as the MG Sports Sedan. And the 1800 the rear seat really seemed limousine-like for the size of the car. His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis . As such he was of the generation who experienced the privations of two apocalyptic world wars. In a front-wheel-drive car, with more understeer and/or a bit more resistance at the wheel, this effect might be enhanced ? Another Mini! Issigonis first concepts were rear wheel drive, with a conventional drive train, fully independent suspension set on a long wheelbase with short overhangs and very rudimentary styling. 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? Professor Alex Moulton. It was designed to follow on from the Mini and 1100 as the next generation . All Rights Reserved. But this also reflects Issigoniss personal characteristics he was a strong minded, stubborn and arrogant man who did did not always have a lot of respect for others opinions and suggestions. It was 1961 when the humble little people-mover fell into the hands of British racing legend John Cooper. 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 was appointed to this post by Lords successor, Sir George Harriman, who was even more in awe of him than Lord was, but also was even more unable to control and guide Issigonis. The big steering wheels angle was a bit bus-like though. Issigonis and his team produced a revolutionary car that featured a small exterior with a spacious passenger compartment and outstanding handling characteristics. 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 . 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. Although primarily a station car, my parents also took it on a vacation through New England. Sir Alec Issigonis was one of the automotive industry's great independent thinkers. Alec Issigonis An expert is someone who tells you why you can't do something. TOP 8 QUOTES BY ALEC ISSIGONIS | A-Z Quotes He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. 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. Alec Issigonis Facts for Kids - Kiddle 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. Heynes later became Technical Director at Jaguar and was a personal friend of Issigonis for many years. Alec Issigonis : The Man Who Made the Mini - books.google.com Issigonis did observe and try to improve on what he saw, but always challenged himself to be original and better. A flawed genius, yes, and BMCs failure to manage him is clear. [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. He often had to be discreetly talked through financial documents when he was in the board meetings. Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. During 1967, Sir Alec Issigonis approached his BMH* superiors, asking to be temporarily relieved of day to day duties so that he could devote himself to a new vehicle project, one intended to directly replace the Mini. On the right is Alec Issigonis and standing next to him is John Cooper. It amounted to no more than surface rust on the chassis. - Wikipedia Alec Issigonis Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Relationships, Married, Dating, Family, Wiki Biography . Alec Issigonis - Wikipedia Bahasa Melayu, ensiklopedia bebas Are you sure Renault had transverse-engine hatchbacks by 1974? Issigonis continued to work as Engineering Director at the Austin-Morris Division of BMC, and as Technical Director of BMC in 1965. Issigonis designed a unitary construction saloon and the V8 engine, and utilised Moultons latest interconnected rubber suspension. 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. I got to drive his Red mini when I went for fish and chips on a Friday. Moulton was a scion of the family behind the Avon tyres company and a respected suspension system engineer in his own right who had worked extensively on the concept of rubber as a suspension medium, before working on the hydrolastic and later still the hydragas systems. Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world? Corrections? [5]:277. This would have been in the early 70s when they were literally everywhere. It didnt just raise the bar it kicked it into next week ! He was born on November 18, 1906 and his birthplace is Turkey. 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. This car was remarkably light, weighing 587lb, of which the engine contributed 252lb. Sir Alec Issigonis ( 1906-1988 ) was an exceptional car designer who is best known for his development of the Mini.He was born in Smyrna ( Izmir ) in Turkey, the son of British-Greek parents. His father, a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer, was of Greek origin but held a British passport. Mini: a brief history - The Telegraph 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. (first posted 10/24/2016) Alec Issigonis, along with Sir Henry Royce and perhaps Colin Chapman, has the greatest name recognition in the UK for any British car designer or engineer. He was known for being a Entrepreneur. Sixty years ago today . https://www.mini.com/ Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Horse. At the age of 30 he worked for the Morris Engineering Department and celebrated his first success with the construction of the Morris Minor. Unless it was at some very small, unique company; something like TVR comes to mind. I hope he knew that he changed the Automobile World for the better. In 1928 his first job was in the design office of Gillett, an engineering firm in London. Innovative. Look what happened to Alan Turing. . 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. Alecs education details are not available at this time. Friendly was ideal for owner-buyers, a large part of the British car buying public, but never appealed to thrusting young execs and salesmen, which is why BLMC was so desperate for the Marina to crack the fleet market. 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. Contact - Oxbotica 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. I saw about 3 Americas in the wild that I can remember, and 1 example of the earlier MG 1100 Sport Sedan. In 1922 the family left Turkey for England, as all British people were banished from the country. Alec Issigonis Biography | HowOld.co He was reluctant to consider features such as large boots or hatchbacks, or engine access, as important. 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. [citation needed], Issigonis was nicknamed "the Greek god" by his contemporaries. An amazing man, and someone who would probably never rise to prominence in todays auto industry. Chinese Zodiac: Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Rabbit. What a great, nicely balanced piece about the ever-controversial Sir Alec, and his equally controversial designs. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alec-Issigonis. Morris 1100. Therefore, when Alec's father, Constantine Issigonis, was born in Smyrna in 1872, he was also a British national. Noch ein Mini! 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. His father, a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer, was of Greek origin but held a British passport. 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. Alec is . Sir Alec Constantine Issigonis: The Greek who designed the legendary 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. I have heard some slander about his idea of putting the gearbox in the engine sump, but otherwise, he changed transportation for the masses on a scale not seen since Henry Ford. Alec Issigonis - Career - LiquiSearch The war years were spent. Alec Issigonis Net Worth, Age, Bio, Birthday, Height, Facts A family that . 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 Issigoniss birth sign is Scorpio and he had a ruling planet of Pluto. At the peak if his career he was by far the most well-known personality in the British motor industry, one of the most well-known names in the European motor industry, and was the first and perhaps the only car British designer who could claim celebrity status. 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. Found an ad for the US market 1100. His name? 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. . Indeed gay sex was illegal in the UK until 1968 and for many years after prejudice was rife. Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. Alec Issigonis's mother was German, and it was on her side of the family that he was a first cousin once removed to automobile engineer and executive manager Bernd Pischetsrieder. 104 Alec Issigonis Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 104 Alec Issigonis Premium High Res Photos Browse 104 alec issigonis stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. Issigonis who designed the Mini auto Crossword Clue He inherited his great interest in technology and machines from his father who, shortly after the turn . Issigonis who designed the Mini auto Crossword Clue The Crossword Solver found 30 answers to "Issigonis who designed the Mini auto", 4 letters crossword clue. Discover what happened on this day. 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. [], BMC changed the world with the launch of the Mini in 1959. It interested me as I had the honour of working with sir Alec for around 3 months. Noch ein Mini! 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. 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. He convinced Issigonis to ready the Mini for the Rallye Monte Carlo. A deeply flawed genius at best. Issigonis would work on the 9X programme, which included a replacement Mini and a new and innovative gearless transmission system. In 1957, Issigonis received the project that would make him famous. A more powerful engine, bigger brakes and a few tuning tweaks later, the Classic Mini Cooper 997 was introduced. Issigonis was knighted in 1968, 1955 Morris Minor: Britains Favorite Car Bar None, And Rightly So, Austin Seven (Mini): The Future Started Here. Issigonis' creation was remarkable, but it really only became a Mini when he got a little help from his friend, motorsport pioneer John Cooper. He was able to share his engineering and automotive interests, through frequent tours of Longbridge in the 1960s, with a first cousin once removed on his mothers side of his family, who later completed a mechanical engineering degree and followed a career in the motor industry. [7] This ground-breaking design, with its front wheel drive, transverse engine, sump gearbox, 10-inch wheels, and phenomenal space efficiency, was still being manufactured in 2000 and has been the inspiration for almost all small front-wheel drive cars produced since the early 1960s. Autokonstrukteur, GBPortrt mit Zigarette- 1959. But back in the day, young UK petrolheads had the time of our lives with Minis, modified in countless ways, rocketing around on twisty English roads, and in weekend motorsports. Zodiac Sign: Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio. Constantine married a German lady whose name was Hulda Prokopp and in 1906 they had a baby who they named Alexander Arnold Issigonis, or Alec to his family. The Mini, and the other Issigonis BMC front wheel drive cars, benefited from Issigonis continuing collaboration with Alex Moulton and his suspension system developments. Matchbox featured an MG 1100 in its 1-75 line-up for many years. Alec Issigonis | Automotive Hall of Fame (I can remember seeing Austin Americas just a few years old being offered up for $50.) Copyright 2023. If only it had had more power and better gearing. This undated sketch by Issigonis shows some of this. 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 . 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. . His father Constantine Issigonis was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from Paros. At the time of his retirement, 71, hatchbacks were not the thing they were 4 years later. Cooper took the prototype out for a spin and realised this fuel-saving people's car cornered like no other. Suffice to say it was an ambitious project for a family of compact cars - the smaller of the pair shorter overall than . Durante o curso ele foi reprovado trs vezes em matemtica. Alec Issigonis: The Greek Creator of the Mini Car Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). 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. Alexandros Arnold Constantine Issigonis, more commonly known as Alec Issigionis, was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, on November 18, 1906. The Minor, Mini, ADO16 and Landcrab all had character, and were all friendly cars. My Family's Cars and Industry Pivots: Transverse Mounted Front Wheel Drive He lived and worked in England " A camel is a horse designed by a committee " " Pure Math is the enemy of every truly creative man" Sir Alec's grandfather Demosthenes was sort of a mechanical genius having . MINI Revolutionary with the Drawing Pad - myAutoWorld.com 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. JUMP TO: Alec Issigoniss biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 - Solar Navigator To clarify, the Renault 4, 5 (first generation, Le Car), 6 and 16 all had longitudinally mounted engines. When is Alec Issigoniss birthday? There were, as CC has seen, many and varied reasons for the failure of the Landcrab and Maxi: the control (or rather the lack of it) exercised by Lord and Harriman over Issigonis; the inherited components; and marketing and production issues. Certainly, it was not the right job for him, taking him too far away from the sketching and ideas, and into meetings about pay scale reviews and marketing policies. Happy birthday to the Mini - New Atlas Sticks in my mind I read a road test that put engine speed at 60 around 4,000rpm. 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. Ive often wondered how its 35 horses managed the Berkshires . Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. People over the road from us had a Wolseley Six (top of the range Landcrab) when we were kids. Arguably, Issigonis and BL were in danger of being left behind. [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. At the end of 1955, Issigonis was recruited back into BMC - this time into the Austin plant at Longbridge - by its chairman Sir Leonard Lord, to design a new model family of three cars. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. Alec Issigonis. Enter the length or pattern for better results. The Renault 14 was transversely engined, from 1976. Shortly after in 1962, when gender roles were thought to be defined, one woman chose a life of speed. They represent many years of design study in attempts to produce the best value for money in the field of small car design. 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. Alec Issigonis was born on the 18th of November, 1906. BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. Just re-watched the documentary about Issigonis, which has a great deal on the lightweight special It was 1999 channel 4 a full evenings programmes devoted to the 40th anniversary of the Mini. There is a truck factory in the city of Izmir, on the western Mediterranean coast of Turkey, builtby the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1967, and which still builds vehiclesunder the BMC brand. By 1964, BMC had built over one million front wheel drive vehicles, including over 800,000 Minis and over 200,000 ADO16s, and over a third were exported. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. People born under this sign are seen as warm-hearted and easygoing. Alvis had a strong military business building armoured cars and personnel carriers, and this part of the business is still going strong as part of BAE Systems. Hulda Issigonis then returned to Malta, leaving sixteen year old Alec alone in London, returning only after Constantine had died. He was a complex man, with a complex background, family story and career. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. 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 []. August 26, 2019. And a rally demon was born. Thanks for a wonderfully researched article! German Engineer Who Designed And Built The First Practical Automobile 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. [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. Getting a guy like Issigonis to design a V8 saloon and just chucking it in the bin. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis (Greek: , )CBE FRS RDI (18 November 1906 2 October 1988) was a British-Greek automotive designer. [], The Mini is 63 years old this week. Everyman Classics: Mid-Century Visionary 1 : Alec Issigonis Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Automotive Hall of Fame. It did not have everything Issigonis wanted, as he originally planned this car to have a V4 engine rather than the BMC A series. Lords instruction was the one Issigonis had been waiting for, and he quickly developed the first Mini prototype. Here in Australia they didnt seem particularly small, but they were certainly a lot more roomy than the competition. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. BMC had internally identified the need to move on from the concepts behind the Minor and A30, leaving behind the classic front engine, semi-elliptic spring concept but there was little clarity on which direction was perceived to be the way to go. He would attend the usual motor shows, but often would refuse to look in detail at the competition, so he did not become confused. It was, though, used on the postwar MG Y Type saloons. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. 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. Alec Issigonis, or more formally Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis CBE FRS RDI* (1906 1988), is best known as the creator of the Mini, but he also designed two other cars that have featured on CC and that are amongst the best-selling cars in British motoring history the Morris Minor and the Austin-Morris 1100 (ADO16). Click the answer to find similar crossword clues . More importantly, the end of the agreement also marked the end of goodwill payments from the Company that covered his nursing care, and he was forced to move from his home to a smaller flat. It is arguably doubtful that Lord, knowing Issigonis better, would have seen him as the ideal candidate for the overall technical leadership of BMC. It was still in production when BMW, led by Bernd Pischetsreider, bought Rover in 1994. 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? By October 1957, Issigonis had shown Lord a working prototype and the decision had been made to manufacture the car, using the existing BMC A series engine. Decades later, despite enormous further developments, the vehicle has lost none of its initial charm.