But fearful that his freedom would be curbed in such a large company, Issigonis resigned from BMC and went to work for the much smaller Alvis company. Sir Alec Issigonis. 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. An engineering genius and godfather of of the Mini. The Renault 14 was transversely engined, from 1976. I saw that same car several times, so, at least in nice weather, it apparently was a daily driver. The lower picture is is an early (1958) Issigonis drawing of his vision for the Mini. 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. If only it had had more power and better gearing. The ways in which things went sour for BMC , and for Alec himself, are all too well known: but with this little car, they surely both earned a big place in history. Sir Alec Issigonis - Small Cars, Big Ideas - Cars Less Traveled He still worked to his consultancy agreement but did so almost exclusively from home, briefing and debriefing nominated BL engineers each morning. Durante o curso ele foi reprovado trs vezes em matemtica. Shortly after in 1962, when gender roles were thought to be defined, one woman chose a life of speed. A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. Biography: Sir Alec Issigonis - Curbside Classic History of MINI - Story, Heritage & Origins | MINI USA MG 1100/1300 Register - NAMGBR 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 Austin/Morris Mini was 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. 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) His father, however, did not survive the crossing. 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. At this time, he was working for Maurice Olley. The gearbox in sump was a dead end in terms of automotive design. He was known for being a Entrepreneur. 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 didnt say by 1974 in regard to VW and Renault. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek community of Smyrnain Ottoman Turkey. . Alec Issigonis is a famous Entrepreneur. He was born in 1906 in a city that is now known as Izmir, in Turkey which itself can trace its . FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. Kereta rekaannya, BMC Mini dilancarkan dalam tahun 1959. 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. In March 1957 Lord asked (more likely told, as Lord did not do asking) Issigonis to come up with something to compete with them. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis CBE FRS RDI (18 November 1906 - 2 October 1988) was a Greek automotive designer. [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. No wonder Issigonis felt flattered I feel very, very proud that so many people have copied me.. Issigonis's mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. . Diz lenda que ele considerava a rigidez . In October, 1957, just eight months after first putting pen to paper, the first prototypes were on the road. Issigonis customer in this case was Maurice Wilks, later the man behind the Land Rover. . Morris 1100. 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. Unfortunately I didnt turn out quite as brilliant, but I like to think I missed out some of the stubbornness/arrogance as well. Alec Issigoniss mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. Sir Alecs design which we built won the design centre award. 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 would attend the usual motor shows, but often would refuse to look in detail at the competition, so he did not become confused. Therefore, when Alec's father, Constantine Issigonis, was born in Smyrna in 1872, he was also a British national. 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. His father was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from the Greek island, Paros. Bedtime story - Alec Issigonis - Enthusiasts of British Motor Vehicles 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. [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. Im sure this was never part of Issigoniss plan, as he was anti-style, but only the 1100 benefited from external help. As British subjects - his father having naturalised whilst studying engineering in London in 1897 - Issigonis and his parents were evacuated to Malta by the Royal Navy in September 1922 ahead of the Great Fire of Smyrna and the Turkish capture of Smyrna at the end of the Greco-Turkish War. 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? A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. 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. Contact - Oxbotica View 6 Images. People of this zodiac sign like truth, being right, longtime friends, teasing, and dislike dishonesty, revealing secrets, passive people. Dr.Ing. Omissions? Issigonis was a good packaging designer. This car basically took the Mini concept and enlarged it by 20%, adding some experience, and ambition, at the same time. Addresses | OxfordBiomedica After returning to England in 1922, he enrolled in engineering school, failing mathematics at every turn. Once more details are available, we will update this section. Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. 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. Noch ein Mini (A Mini! Issigonis Prototype 1970 Mini 9X - atwellwilson.org.uk Issigonis usually won, even when entered in the 1100cc class if there was no 750cc category. A family that . The gearbox sharing the sump oil worked ok, but the transmission absolutely pulverised the lubricating qualities out of the oil, and it really required changing every 3000 miles if you wanted the thing to last. Meanwhile, back at the office, Issigonis had devised an independent coil spring system for the first unitary construction Morris, the 1938 Ten, but which did not go into production as Morris, conservative as ever, chose a more conventional and cheaper beam axle solution. Click the answer to find similar crossword clues . Click the answer to find similar crossword clues . Oxford Study Courses 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. His stubbornness, I would say, had more in common with Ford starting production of the T, when everyone was telling him to make expensive cars because they were more profitable. My sister had an MG 1100 which blew me away in 1970. In 1942, the first scale model was produced and the following year work began on a hand-formed steel prototype. Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. 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. Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. It certainly appeared by the Maxi development era that Issigonis wanted to "do his own thing" as cost cutting and development costs spiraled. Found an ad for the US market 1100. 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. Issigonis with XC/9001, the car that became the Landcrab. Corrections? Alec Issigonis - Etsy 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. is bigger, and is just one of a family of related models. Fascinating lost papers from the man who created the Mini and the. Issigonis was born in Smyrna in 1906. 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. It was designed to follow on from the Mini and 1100 as the next generation . Copyright 2023. Issigonis actually sketched the Minis original design with a pencil on a tablecloth. I fist saw a Mini on my way to middle school in 1965. Sir Alec Constantine Issigonis, born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire on November 18, 1906, is famous for designing the beloved Mini Cooper motor car. Discover what happened on this day. 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. Proslavil se zejmna nvrhem vozu Mini, kter uvedla na trh British Motor Corporation v . Joseph Lowrey, [], The Mini hit its big landmark in 1969, a seismic year in the history of BMC>Rover. Biography: Sir ALEC issigonis - The designer of Britain's favourite cars, Britain's favourite car designer . The Mini was designed by. 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. Apparently Walter Chrysler could also be difficult to work with. Gillett was developing a freewheel device for use on cars, partly as a refinement and fuel economy device, and partly to reduce the need for double declutching gearchanges in the pre-synchromesh era. 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. Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. Morriss chief engineer, A V (Vic) Oak, recognised that Issigoniss greatest asset was his imagination but also noted that it needed to be guided firmly but carefully to bring out the best of it. 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 initials "G.I." The 1100 benefited from someone elses external design. There was no radio fitted as he thought it would distract the driver. 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 []. Daniels (right) and Sheppard (left), no doubt, had to smooth a few ruffled feathers on the way. Enter the length or pattern for better results. 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. . That is how many of us know about these cars or about many 1960s British cars, in general. Remembering Designer of the Mini Cooper, Alec Issigonis 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. Alecs education details are not available at this time. He was flattered to be copied, though. A testament to brilliant design or to the modern industrys tendencies towards aversion of risk, I wont say surely some of both. Alec Issigonis : The Man Who Made the Mini - books.google.com Tragically, Constantine Issigonis contracted a serious illness, and died in Malta in June 1923. Alec Issigonis Related Authors Vivienne Westwood Quotes Virgil Abloh Quotes Coco Chanel Quotes Carroll Shelby Quotes Sir Alec Issigonis | British automobile designer | Britannica His father Constantine Issigonis was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from Paros. The Mini was launched in 1959, and became instantly popular. He worked on various projects for Morris through the war and towards its end started work on an advanced post war car codenamed Mosquito that became the Morris Minor, which was produced from 1948 until 1971. The Minor, Mini, ADO16 and Landcrab all had character, and were all friendly cars. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. with 8 letters was last seen on the March 01, 2023.We found 20 possible solutions for this clue. Alec Issigonis was already known for his popular and respected Morris Minor. 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. Then of course there was severe corrosion in the face of road salt. In a front-wheel-drive car, with more understeer and/or a bit more resistance at the wheel, this effect might be enhanced ? 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. To achieve this feat, Issigonis utilized a front wheel drive layout with a transverse-mounted engine, the first modern application of this concept. Issigonis spent his early years as an engineer with Morris Motors working on steering and suspension. The 1100 and later 1300 outsold the Mini by a considerable margin and remained Britains best-selling car right through the 1960s. The mini leaked like a sieve because of the way hed designed the sills and had to be redesigned. He was retired from British Leyland in 1971, memorably being given a Meccano kit for his leaving present. Issigonis, Alec - Hellenism.Net Another thing Sir Alec did not think was important perhaps? This car was remarkably light, weighing less than 600lb. This would have been in the early 70s when they were literally everywhere. At the end of 1955, Issigonis moved to BMC to head up the development of the corporations new family of cars. Joseph Lowrey, MOTOR: As soon [], Mr Alec Issigoniss New B.M.C. It was at Alvis that Issigonis first worked with another of the influential characters of his career. Humber were more interested in the sales engineer than his product, and Issigonis moved to Humber in 1933. Issigonis designed a unitary construction saloon and the V8 engine, and utilised Moultons latest interconnected rubber suspension. During the war, Morris Motors undertook military work, notably the development of the Morris lightweight reconnaissance vehicle for the War Department. I hope he knew that he changed the Automobile World for the better. Issigonis then went back to the British Motor Corporation, where the influence of many political factors led him to his major breakthrough. The XC (experimental car) code names assigned for the new cars were XC/9001 - for a large comfortable car, XC/9002 - for a medium-sized family car, and XC/9003 . George Harriman, Leonard Lord and Alec Issogonis. Designer Alec Issigonis was born in the southern Anatolian city of Smyrna in 1906. Probably the closest British comparison is the Jaguar Mk 1 which came out in 1955 and was produced at a rate of around 10-15,000 for thirteen years. 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. 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. 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. That's exactly what he did. And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. . He took advantage of other peoples suspension designs, Moultons rubber cones and the isolastic, as they freed up more space. In 1961, with the Mini gaining popularity, Issigonis was promoted to Technical Director of BMC. Here in Australia they didnt seem particularly small, but they were certainly a lot more roomy than the competition. Iconic. Bernd Peter Pischetsrieder. It was still in production when BMW, led by Bernd Pischetsreider, bought Rover in 1994. Issigonis studied engineering at Battersea Polytechnic in London. [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 remember being quite put off by the sound of the engine seemingly racing to maintain 45mph. Ford clinging to the T too long was the same sort of corporate inertia that had VW clinging to the Bug too long. Although primarily a station car, my parents also took it on a vacation through New England. [13], He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1967. Alec Issigonis - Career - LiquiSearch 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. Learn how your comment data is processed. He was reluctant to consider features such as large boots or hatchbacks, or engine access, as important. Another Mini!). File nella categoria "Alec Issigonis" Questa categoria contiene 5 file, indicati di seguito, su un totale di 5. Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Horse. 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. Sixty years ago today . For his accomplishments, Queen Elizabeth knighted Issigonis in 1969. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. But at the age of 50, he began designing one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced: the classic Mini. 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. At the time of his retirement, 71, hatchbacks were not the thing they were 4 years later. [9] He was cremated at the Lodge Hill Cemetery in nearby Selly Oak. Roger, are you saying that Graham Day ended the consultancy and goodwill payments because he was offended by Issigoniss letter? I appreciate the research the depth and the smooth writing style to present it all in a gripping way. At the opening of the factory BMC was represented by Sir Alec Issigonis. 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. While much derided for its lack of style, I do love the huge smile he put on the front of the original 1800 Landcrab. Alec Issigonis - Wikipedia Despite its stated mission being to provide basic transport, this level of driving enjoyment, and capability, was like a non stop Christmas present. Alec's grandfather Demosthenis migrated to Smyrna from the Greek island of Paros in the 1830s. In 1961, a shipload of Minis suffered mild water damage on their journey to the east coast of US. Alec Issigonis was born on the 18th of November, 1906. 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. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. Absolutely brilliant article about an engineering genius. . https://www.mini.com/ Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Alec Issigonis and Dr Alex Moulton, the creator of Hydrolastic and Hydragas suspension, with a Morris 1100, circa 1962. Alec Issigonis Net Worth 2023: Wiki Bio, Married, Dating, Family . Mini: a brief history - The Telegraph [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. [], The Mini is 63 years old this week. BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. Alec Issigonis, technical director of the British Motor Corporation and Charles Griffin, chief engineer, answer questions from our technical editor. 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. 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. But accounts do suggest it done in a pretty crass way. His father died in 1922, at which point he and his mother moved to the U.K.. A truly great man and an honour for me. Thanks for the great article. Alec Issigonis Popularity Most Popular Born in 1906 First Name Alec #31 #1 Entrepreneur Born in Turkey #2 Alec Issigonis Is A Member Of Born In 1906 Entrepreneurs First Name Alec Scorpios He title at Alvis was Engineer in charge of passenger car design. 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. Beatles' Minis: Cars belonging to McCartney, Harrison and Ringo are on Enter the length or pattern for better results. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis ( 18. listopadu 1906 Smyrna - 2. jna 1988 Birmingham) byl ecko - britsk automobilov konstruktr narozen na zem dnenho Turecka. When Morris and Austin merged to form the British Motor Corporation in 1952, Issigonis decided to leave the company. German Engineer Who Designed And Built The First Practical Automobile (Crossword ClueThe crossword clue German engineer who designed and built the first practical automobile. 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 . 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. Alec is . 130 King Street West, Exchange Tower, Suite 1800, Toronto, Canada, M5X 1E3. Sir Alec Issigonis. Im sure the Renault 4, 5, 6, and 16 had longitudinal engines. 104 Alec Issigonis Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Biography: Sir Alec Issigonis - The Designer of Britain's Favourite Arguably, Issigonis and BL were in danger of being left behind. November 18, 1906 Car designer Alec Issigonis, the man who gave the world the Mini, was born in Turkey on this day to a Greek father and Bavarian mother. 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).
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