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. O interesse pelo automvel veio aos 12 anos, quando ele viu um pela primeira vez. The Automotive Hall of Fame. On October 2, 1988, he passed . ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Alec Issigonis, technical director of the British Motor Corporation and Charles Griffin, chief engineer, answer questions from our technical editor. 130 King Street West, Exchange Tower, Suite 1800, Toronto, Canada, M5X 1E3. The loss of British sovereignty led not only to a political defeat but also to an oil crisis. Issigonis actually sketched the Minis original design with a pencil on a tablecloth. And the result was the creation of more than just an economical car. Alec Issigonis Related Authors Vivienne Westwood Quotes Virgil Abloh Quotes Coco Chanel Quotes Carroll Shelby Quotes 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 irony being, of all the cars built in the world that follow his layout, none carry an Austin or Morris badge. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. His father, a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer, was of Greek origin but held a British passport. I thought I knew everything about Issigonis already, but there were some fascinating insights here. 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. Alec Issigonis. Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS, RDI (18 November 1906 - 2 October 1988) was a Greek-British designer of cars, now remembered chiefly for the groundbreaking and influential . . 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. Issigonis was born in Smyrna in 1906. Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world? He was born on November 18, 1906 and his birthplace is Turkey. Issigonis did observe and try to improve on what he saw, but always challenged himself to be original and better. His fingerprints are all over other cars, too, the Austin 1800 Land Crab and the Austin Maxi for example, but not always as successfully, as we shall see. Mr. Front-Wheel Drive: Sir Alec Issigonis . meantime, John preferred his psychedelic Rolls .. Roger, hats off for this excellent treatment of an engineering legend. 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. Getting a guy like Issigonis to design a V8 saloon and just chucking it in the bin. But there were other 20th century cataclysms that he lived and worked through as a designer - including the Suez crisis of 1956. On the surface it didnt appear very desirable to Me, or to prospective new-car buyers. [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. 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. Alec Issigonis: The Man Who Made the Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, 81; Designer of Minicar And Morris Minor. Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio and was born in the G.I. When Morris and Austin merged to form the British Motor Corporation in 1952, Issigonis decided to leave the company. It was through his mother's kinships that Issigonis was a first cousin once removed to BMW and Volkswagen director Bernd Pischetsrieder.[5]. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In 1961, a shipload of Minis suffered mild water damage on their journey to the east coast of US. Alternate titles: Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis. He was retired from British Leyland in 1971, memorably being given a Meccano kit for his leaving present. From then onwards, any car in the small or medium market without a transverse engine was considered unusual, and conservative. " Sir Alec Issigonis. He died in October 1988, aged 82. Like many famous people and celebrities, Alec Issigonis kept his personal life private. Issigonis, The Mini Mastermind - On This Day I hope he knew that he changed the Automobile World for the better. THE CREATOR OF AN ICONIC CAR: ALEC ISSIGONIS. Noch ein Mini! It amounted to no more than surface rust on the chassis. Decades later, despite enormous further developments, the vehicle has lost none of its initial charm. 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. . Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). I appreciate the research the depth and the smooth writing style to present it all in a gripping way. 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. 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. . 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. His name will always be associated with the Morris Minor and the Mini, but he was a complex man with a complex background, family, story and career. Happy birthday to the Mini! By the time the chassis had been completed, Issigonis had somehow got hold of an Austin supplied works specification supercharged side-valve engine as well. Another Mini! Born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire (now zmir, Turkey) on November 18, 1906, Issigonis immigrated to England with his family in 1922 and later studied engineering at . *27/02/01 The new Mini which will go on sale in the UK summer 2001, was , being unveiled for the first time. https://www.mini.com/ 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. Unfortunately I didnt turn out quite as brilliant, but I like to think I missed out some of the stubbornness/arrogance as well. Alec Issigonis: The Greek Creator of the Mini Car The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. Issigonis designed a unitary construction saloon and the V8 engine, and utilised Moultons latest interconnected rubber suspension. It was designed to follow on from the Mini and 1100 as the next generation . Copyright 2011 - 2023 Curbside Classics. Alec Issigoniss birth sign is Scorpio and he had a ruling planet of Pluto. 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. 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. Issigonis made a grandfather clock from it, which kept good time. SOL 258H is the oldest surviving gearless car and was the preferred transport of Sir Alex Issigonis. Here in Australia they didnt seem particularly small, but they were certainly a lot more roomy than the competition. A reliable car with excellent steering and cornering qualities, it was the first all-British car to pass the one million mark in sales; surviving models are still cherished by owners and collectors. The war prevented this design from going into production but it was later used on the MG Y-type. (The Maxi, by comparison, was a bland lump.). Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek city of Smyrna (now zmir) in the Ottoman Empire. Issigoniss first project was to design an independent suspension for Rootes highest volume car, the Hillman Minx. He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. Suffice to say it was an ambitious project for a family of compact cars - the smaller of the pair shorter overall than . I was amazed at the amount of space in that car you could even hide things in the cubbyhole under the rear seat. The mini leaked like a sieve because of the way hed designed the sills and had to be redesigned. Get In Touch Call or Email. My sister had an MG 1100 which blew me away in 1970. 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. 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. Issigonis and his team produced a revolutionary car that featured a small exterior with a spacious passenger compartment and outstanding handling characteristics. All Rights Reserved. The innovation he created by switching the orientation of the engine, changing the traditional transmission to a transaxle and sending power to the front wheels was a magnificent idea! Kereta rekaannya, BMC Mini dilancarkan dalam tahun 1959. Most events entered were sprints, but he also raced at circuits. John Sheppard spent 20 years working with [], Richard Aucock 40 years ago this month, Sir Alec Issigonis, creator of Britains best-selling motoring icons, retired The creator of the original Mini, the Morris Minor, the Austin Maxi and [], Motor magazine, August 1962 WHY IS THE ADO16? At the opening of the factory BMC was represented by Sir 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. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. On his side, Issigonis built a large model railway in the double garage that ran out through the walls and around the garden. I saw about 3 Americas in the wild that I can remember, and 1 example of the earlier MG 1100 Sport Sedan. Issigonis designed the most enduring small cars of the twentieth century, the Morris Minor (1948) and the Mini (1959) - a testament to his insistence that 'styled' cars dated quickly. He would instead research work on his Mini replacement the 9X with its compact transverse engine. If so, that would seem vindictive on Days part. It was still in production when BMW, led by Bernd Pischetsreider, bought Rover in 1994. I dont have any great memories of the Mini to share, though you saw them everywhere. . Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS terkenal kerana menjadi pencipta kereta Mini yang menjadi ikon tahun 1960-an. No wonder Issigonis felt flattered I feel very, very proud that so many people have copied me.. [5]:277. Alec Issigonis - Wikipdia, a enciclopdia livre [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. A more powerful engine, bigger brakes and a few tuning tweaks later, the Classic Mini Cooper 997 was introduced. The Mini caused a sensation with its design and rather small size in the late 1950s thanks to its inventor, the Englishman Alec Issigonis. 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. 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. Even as Britain entered the 1960s, product planning remained something of an alien concept to its native carmakers, the majority of whom viewed such matters as being the sort of recondite nonsense invented in the United States, and best left there. He also took his lunch with the workers in the local pub and travelled to this in our Bedford crew bus with wooden bench seats. with 8 letters was last seen on the March 01, 2023.We found 20 possible solutions for this clue. Sir Alec was a combination of everything that was right AND wrong about the British car industry in his day. The greatest overall compatibility with Scorpio is Taurus and Cancer. It did not have everything Issigonis wanted, as he originally planned this car to have a V4 engine rather than the BMC A series. Mini: a brief history - The Telegraph The gearbox in sump was a dead end in terms of automotive design. In 1961, he became Technical and oversaw the launch of the 1100, 1800 and Maxi all hugely advanced machines, with front-wheel drive, in-sump gearboxes, and interconnected suspension. He often had to be discreetly talked through financial documents when he was in the board meetings. You probably know the part about Alec Issigonis being born in the Greek city of Smyrna in 1906, being evacuated to Malta in 1922 following the Turkish invasion, and how he moved to London in 1923 to study engineering. Alec Issigonis | Bartleby 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. [8], With the creation of British Leyland in 1969, new chairman Lord Stokes quickly sidelined Issigonis and made him into what was termed "Special Developments Director", replacing him with Harry Webster as the new Technical Director (Small/Medium cars). [3] 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. His family had to flee Smyrne to es- cape the genocide of 1922 by the Turks. Issigoniss mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. By the time the chassis had been completed (hard labourit was all done by hand, no power tools), Issigonis had moved to Morris Motors Limited, but Austin supplied a "works" specification supercharged side-valve engine. [], 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. His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis . Youre right about maintenance. Enter a Crossword Clue Sort by Length Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). I wouldnt say Day was offended but took it as evidence that Issigoniss time has passed and that the value Rover were getting from the consultancy was minimal, and it was effectively indulging Issigonis, something Turnbull and Donald Stokes could afford t0 do (and knew looked rational) in 1970. The Boudjah - Smyrna born Alec Issigonis was an engineering genius and even after his death there is a fan base for his cars. This would have been in the early 70s when they were literally everywhere. In later years, the car would become known simply as the Mini. Nearly $1900 was pretty stiff pricing for a car that size in the mid 60s, $150 more than a Bug. Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 - Solar Navigator Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. 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. BMC . The task: a car with lots of space inside with minimum dimensions outside, seats for four passengers, impeccable driving characteristics, superior fuel economy, and a very affordable price. 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. And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . It was at Alvis that Issigonis first worked with another of the influential characters of his career. A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. However, there was more to his life than just one car. An amazing man, and someone who would probably never rise to prominence in todays auto industry. 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. Family Life His father died in 1922, at which point he and his mother moved to the U.K.. Associated With He and Frank Stephenson are both famous car designers. But, as ever, events intervened in this case the Suez Crisis of 1956, complete with petrol rationing. History of MINI - Story, Heritage & Origins | MINI USA He was also referred to as the Greek God, perhaps more openly. Matchbox featured an MG 1100 in its 1-75 line-up for many years. It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. 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. But accounts do suggest it done in a pretty crass way. It didnt just raise the bar it kicked it into next week ! He was a race car driver during the 30s and 40s. Maybe it takes that sort of single-mindedness, bordering on obsession, to create something different, get it into production in spite of obstacles and naysayers, and make it a success. Moulton also designed folding, rubber suspended small-wheeled bicycles. The boxy, inexpensive, fuel-efficient Mini used a transverse engine to power its front wheelsa radical design at the timeand thus could comfortably seat four passengers despite being only 10 feet (3 m) long. The rest is racing . 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. While much derided for its lack of style, I do love the huge smile he put on the front of the original 1800 Landcrab. This car basically took the Mini concept and enlarged it by 20%, adding some experience, and ambition, at the same time. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Essay on The Pure Voice in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Issigonis legacy - Education Alec Issigonis Net Worth, Age, Bio, Birthday, Height, Facts A testament to brilliant design or to the modern industrys tendencies towards aversion of risk, I wont say surely some of both. Therefore some functionality is missing. The all-new Mini will be revealed today, on what would have been Mini creator Sir Alec Issigonis's 107th birthday. But at the age of 50, he began designing one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced: the classic Mini. [9] He was cremated at the Lodge Hill Cemetery in nearby Selly Oak. Demosthenis acquired British nationality through the work he did for the British-built Smyrna-Aydin Railway. German Engineer Who Designed And Built The First Practical Automobile (Crossword ClueThe crossword clue German engineer who designed and built the first practical automobile. 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. Issigonis never married; most accounts suggest that he was probably gay but he was obviously unable to express himself without huge risk to his professional status and even the risk of prosecution. 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. Alec Issigonis and Dr Alex Moulton, the creator of Hydrolastic and Hydragas suspension, with a Morris 1100, circa 1962. 10 Things Everyone Forgot About Mini And Its Cars His mother was from Bavaria. Ive often wondered how its 35 horses managed the Berkshires . I tell you the last time I was that close to a Japanese machine, it was shooting at me.. Kereta ini menjadi kereta popular di Britain dan banyak negara di dunia, di samping berjaya menjuarai Rali Monte Carlo sebanyak 3 kali. At this time, he was working for Maurice Olley. I had a book about Issigonis, but its lost. 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. Issigonis quickly arranged for Jack Daniels to move up from Cowley to Longbridge to rebuild their close rapport. He and Frank Stephenson are both famous car designers. He would attend the usual motor shows, but often would refuse to look in detail at the competition, so he did not become confused. XC/9002 became ADO16 and was launched as the Morris 1100 with the Hydrolastic interconnected suspension system in August 1962. Much ADO About Project 15: A History of the Classic Mini George Harriman, Leonard Lord and Alec Issogonis. He [], DAILY EXPRESS By David Benson Harry Webster is a quiet, unassuming, generous man of 54. 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. Sir Alec Constantine Issigonis, born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire on November 18, 1906, is famous for designing the beloved Mini Cooper motor car. Issigonis continued to work as Engineering Director at the Austin-Morris Division of BMC, and as Technical Director of BMC in 1965. You could, however, discern Issigoniss influence on some of BMCs light commercials, especially the underfloor engined JU and walk through EA vans of the late 1960s. 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. Constantine was very proud of his British citizenship and Alec grew up in a traditional British type of household. In 1934 Issigonis was invited to join the drawing office at Humber Ltd in Coventry. 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. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. He convinced Issigonis to ready the Mini for the Rallye Monte Carlo. 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 think you can see a narrower car in one of the pre-production photos, above. [3] 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. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS (18 November 1906-2 October 1988) was a Greek-British designer of cars, now remembered chiefly for the groundbreaking and influential development of the Mini, launched by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1959. My Family's Cars and Industry Pivots: Transverse Mounted Front Wheel Drive 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. Issigonis then went back to the British Motor Corporation, where the influence of many political factors led him to his major breakthrough. JUMP TO: Alec Issigoniss biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. 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. He managed to obtain his Diploma, but was not admitted to advanced studies. 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. Issigonis (just in view at the far right) was not involved in the engineering of this car, but was able to start a long term friendship with Battista and Sergio Pininfarina,seenstanding next the car with Leonard Lord and George Harriman. To clarify, the Renault 4, 5 (first generation, Le Car), 6 and 16 all had longitudinally mounted engines. 1925 . The third front wheel drive car from BMC was the 1964 ADO17 Austin 1800 (or Landcrab), a car which Issigonis has been quoted as identifying as the design he was most proud of, and then the Austin Maxi in 1969 with less successful results. It was 1961 when the humble little people-mover fell into the hands of British racing legend John Cooper. I remember being quite put off by the sound of the engine seemingly racing to maintain 45mph. Issigonis studied engineering at Battersea Polytechnic in London. However, as we all know, it was no profit-maker for BMC and, during its hyper-successful first decade on the market, its maker cruelly and criminally failed to develop the concept into something that the customers truly wanted a hatchback. Autokonstrukteur, GBPortrt mit Zigarette- 1959. Shortly after in 1962, when gender roles were thought to be defined, one woman chose a life of speed. (I can remember seeing Austin Americas just a few years old being offered up for $50.) In 1936, he moved to Morris Motors Limited at Cowley working on an independent front suspension system for the Morris 10.