Once more details are available, we will update this section. Enter your username or email to reset your password. [], In Part One of this fascinating series, which originally appeared in Vehicle Engineer,AROnline Contributor IanElliott applies his insider knowledge to spelling out the exact sequence of mergers that led to [], Photography: Martin Bell One of the design team who worked on the original Mini has revealed how the revolutionary small car came about. [], BMC changed the world with the launch of the Mini in 1959. Been a fan of Alec Issigonis since I was 8 years old. He was a race car driver during the 30's and 40's. Issigonis returned to BMC to design a range of family vehicles. I got to drive his Red mini when I went for fish and chips on a Friday. 130 King Street West, Exchange Tower, Suite 1800, Toronto, Canada, M5X 1E3. 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. Issigoniss mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. [4] The MG 1100 Sport Sedan a perfect choice when a two-seater MG is too small. Sir Alec Issigonis was one of the automotive industry's great independent thinkers. 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. . 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. The war prevented this design from going into production but it was later used on the MG Y-type. This isnt 1942. 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? And the 1800 the rear seat really seemed limousine-like for the size of the car. 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. His father, a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer, was of Greek origin but held a British passport. Decades later, despite enormous further developments, the vehicle has lost none of its initial charm. Meanwhile from 1930, he raced a supercharged Ulster Austin Seven, and fitted it with an independent front suspension of his own design. Sir Alec Issigonis - Small Cars, Big Ideas - Cars Less Traveled Was it to be front or rear engined? Enter the length or pattern for better results. 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. . Great Designer :: ALEC ISSIGONIS - WordPress.com In later years, the car would become known simply as the Mini. The first application of Sir Alec Issigonis' engineering breakthrough - All Photos by Randy Stern, except otherwise noted Remember Sir Alec Issigonis? The all-new Mini will be revealed today, on what would have been Mini creator Sir Alec Issigonis's 107th birthday. The Mini caused a sensation with its design and rather small size in the late 1950s thanks to its inventor, the Englishman Alec Issigonis. Alec Issigoniss birth sign is Scorpio and he had a ruling planet of Pluto. 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. in there was a 1 hr "The Mini Man " -Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 by great friend and car fanatic Peter Ustinov. . 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. 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. [citation needed], Issigonis was nicknamed "the Greek god" by his contemporaries. An advanced 4-speed fully automatic transmission was offered in these that lived in the sump and shared the engine oil, just like the manual gearbox. He remained on the BL books as a consultant until 1988, shortly before his death. I fist saw a Mini on my way to middle school in 1965. 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. If only it had had more power and better gearing. Biography: Sir Alec Issigonis - The Designer of Britain's Favourite with 8 letters was last seen on the March 01, 2023.We found 20 possible solutions for this clue. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death and commemorations 4 Some of his cars By early 1957, prototypes were running, and by mid-1957 the project was given an official drawing office project number (ADO15) so that the thousands of drawings required for production could be produced. 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. Chrysler also took a licence to manufacture the device, which was an integral part of their pioneering overdrive in 1934. August 26, 2019. At Alvis, Issigoniss main task was to lead the development of a more affordable, higher volume luxury car. A series engine, with gearbox beneath and side mounted radiator. 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. Alec's mother, Hulda Prokopp, could trace her origins back to Wrttemberg (now part of Germany). He lived with his mother to whom he was devoted, until her death in 1972, latterly in Edgbaston in Birmingham, in a large bungalow, divided into two wings. It was at Alvis that Issigonis first worked with another of the influential characters of his career. As a matter of interest, go to this site: and click on the Letter From Dr. Alex Moulton link. [], 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. FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. 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. Alec Issigonis was a hugely . The Landcrab and Maxi were so butt ugly that no self respecting petrolhead would be seen it one. Alec Issigonis nasceu na Turquia Filho de um grego naturalizado britnico casado com uma turca. And a rally demon was born. Morris 1100. He inherited his great interest in technology and machines from his father who, shortly after the turn . 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 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. The Boudjah - Smyrna born Alec Issigonis was an engineering genius and even after his death there is a fan base for his cars. This generation experienced much of their youth during the Great Depression and rapid technological innovation such as the radio and the telephone. Having been a passenger in an early Austin Landcrab on several occasions I can confirm they are amazingly spacious inside, front and rear. The suspension was trailing arms at the front, attached to a steel cross-member, and a swing axle rear, all with rubber springs made of catapult elastic. He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. By 1969 Fiat had also followed with the 128, and by 1974 Peugeot, VW and Renault had transverse engine hatchbacks as well. It was still in production when BMW, led by Bernd Pischetsreider, bought Rover in 1994. Happy birthday to the Mini! Excellent article. This led to a job at Austin, but in 1936, he moved to Morris at Cowley, where he worked on the Morris 10. That name was now engraved in my mind and as I got older I was drawn to LBCs (Little British Cars.) This would have been in the early 70s when they were literally everywhere. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). In 1928 his first job was in the design office of Gillett, an engineering firm in London. Alec Issigonis - Wikipdia, a enciclopdia livre 37 Sir Alec Issigonis Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images The irony being, of all the cars built in the world that follow his layout, none carry an Austin or Morris badge. 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. In 1942, the first scale model was produced and the following year work began on a hand-formed steel prototype. Sir Alec Issigonis started his career at Humber, known for their Humber Snipe and Humber Hawk models, even Queen Elizabeth II owned a Humber. On a cheerier note, Id love to see that Alvin on the flesh. as an American familiar only with U.S. cars. Lords instruction was the one Issigonis had been waiting for, and he quickly developed the first Mini prototype. Alec Issigonis and Dr Alex Moulton, the creator of Hydrolastic and Hydragas suspension, with a Morris 1100, circa 1962. His father was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from the Greek island, Paros. 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. When Morris and Austin merged to form the British Motor Corporation in 1952, Issigonis decided to leave the company. 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. In 1956, the focus was shifted towards a new economy car and from here, the Mini was born in 1959. In August 1959 the car was launched as the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven, which soon became known as the Austin Mini. Alec issigonis hi-res stock photography and images - Alamy Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis CBE FRS RDI (18 November 1906 - 2 October 1988) was a Greek automotive designer. Issigonis spent his early years as an engineer with Morris Motors working on steering and suspension. Issigonis, The Mini Mastermind - On This Day Therefore some functionality is missing. Get In Touch Call or Email. Everyman Classics: Mid-Century Visionary 1 : Alec Issigonis By 1945, a full scale static prototype close to the familiar production form was completed. Alec Issigonis Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Relationships, Married, Dating, Family, Wiki Biography . 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. meantime, John preferred his psychedelic Rolls .. Roger, hats off for this excellent treatment of an engineering legend. Joseph Lowrey, [], The Mini hit its big landmark in 1969, a seismic year in the history of BMC>Rover. 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. Mr. Front-Wheel Drive: Sir Alec Issigonis . His father died in 1922, at which point he and his mother moved to the U.K.. 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. Another thing Sir Alec did not think was important perhaps? . Giving the Mini, ADO16 and ADO17 were all designed well before hatchbacks were popular, the beancounters no doubt would be up in arms at the thought of spending more money on tooling for an already old design. [1][2], Issigonis was born on 18 November 1906 in the Ottoman port city of Smyrna, the only child of Constantine Issigonis and Hulda Prokopp. 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. Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world? Sort By: Better Essays. 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. 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. 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. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek city of Smyrna (now zmir) in the Ottoman Empire. 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. 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. But at the age of 50, he began designing one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced: the classic Mini. Biography: Sir ALEC issigonis - The designer of Britain's favourite cars, Britain's favourite car designer . Astrologers and astronomers could only work with planets visible to the eye. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. And Alec Issigonis? While much derided for its lack of style, I do love the huge smile he put on the front of the original 1800 Landcrab. I saw about 3 Americas in the wild that I can remember, and 1 example of the earlier MG 1100 Sport Sedan. - Wikipedia Alec Issigonis was already known for his popular and respected Morris Minor. 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. This undated sketch by Issigonis shows some of this. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . 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. Issgonis preferred to work by sketching his ideas onto Arclight pads, each numbered in sequence and retained, and then having Daniels, looking after chassis elements, or another close confidant John Sheppard, looking after the body shell itself, work to turn these in physical reality. One tidbit I recall: when the Morris Minor design was almost finished the book showed the designer holding a brass model of the car it was decided to add a few inches of width at the centerline. However, there was more to his life than just one car. 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. 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. Sir Alec Issigonis - Person - National Portrait Gallery My Family's Cars and Industry Pivots: Transverse Mounted Front Wheel Drive The loss of British sovereignty led not only to a political defeat but also to an oil crisis. 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. Issigonis was a remarkable engineer and obviously made his mark. [10], There is a road named "Alec Issigonis Way" in the Oxford Business Park on the former site of the Morris Motors factory in Cowley, Oxfordshire. Issigonis' creation was remarkable, but it really only became a Mini when he got a little help from his friend, motorsport pioneer John Cooper. 1959: The Mini Was Born. | MINI.com He was involved in engine design as well, requesting unsuccessfully that BL build 4 and 6 cylinder engines for Mini variants. How about an uncomfortable driver is a distracted driver? [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. There was no radio fitted as he thought it would distract the driver. After returning to England in 1922, he enrolled in engineering school, failing mathematics at every turn. Alec Issigonis. It was designed to follow on from the Mini and 1100 as the next generation . Day terminated the consultancy agreement, without any more consultation. He died in October 1988, aged 82. IAN NICHOLLS recalls the day the two millionth rolled off the production line [], A team of the worlds leading motoring writers, along with voters on the internet, have short-listed the legendary Mini for the ultimate motoring accolade the international Car of the [], THE GUARDIAN Lord Stokes writes about the late Sir Alec Issigonis: Alec Issigonis was a very charming and persuasive person, and a brilliant innovative engineer with a considerable capacity for [], Rover Group consultant Sir Alec Issigonis writes to chairman Graham Day. 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. Yes, it ran like hell when operable as the owner treated it like an Army Jeep. His little cars were a success despite him. He also worked with Alvis Cars, one of the more obscure carmakers. Sketch by the late Sir Alec Issigonis, of the original Morris Minor, circa 1946. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. Sir Alec Issigonis | Autopedia | Fandom Youre right about maintenance.