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[9] He was cremated at the Lodge Hill Cemetery in nearby Selly Oak. Ultimately, Alvis had to cancel the project, after the first prototype had been built but before the company had committed to the expenditure of production tooling. Oxford Office. The irony being, of all the cars built in the world that follow his layout, none carry an Austin or Morris badge. If only it had had more power and better gearing. I saw this tiny car among the Buicks Oldsmobiles Mercurys and Chevrolet Impalas that were the usual fare. Noch ein Mini! Hulda Issigonis then returned to Malta, leaving sixteen year old Alec alone in London, returning only after Constantine had died. 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) A truly fascinating man he was. The inability of these cars to withstand business case scrutiny crucial in the companys decline, and others must also stand up for that -Issigonis didnt claim to be a product planner in the sense Ford would recognise but saw all his cars as separate entities. And the result was the creation of more than just an economical car. And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . I think you can see a narrower car in one of the pre-production photos, above. Noch ein Mini (A Mini! [4] His maternal ancestors originated in the Kingdom of Wrttemberg. 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. What a great. However, there was more to his life than just one car. Issigonis was knighted in 1968, 1955 Morris Minor: Britains Favorite Car Bar None, And Rightly So, Austin Seven (Mini): The Future Started Here. 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. Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. Issigonis actually sketched the Minis original design with a pencil on a tablecloth. Looking at the Minor or the Mini, I can believe that. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. A series engine, with gearbox beneath and side mounted radiator. Roger, are you saying that Graham Day ended the consultancy and goodwill payments because he was offended by Issigoniss letter? The concept of the transverse engine and gearbox combined with FWD, which had previously been used only with two-cylinder two-stroke engines by DKW (since the 1920s), Lloyd and Saab, was adapted by Issigonis for the four cylinder A-block engine for the Mini. 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. Bernd Peter Pischetsrieder. The Crossword Solver found 30 answers to "an alec issigonis family car launched in 1969 (6,4)", 10 letters crossword clue. 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. Alec Issigonis. Therefore, when Alec's father, Constantine Issigonis, was born in Smyrna in 1872, he was also a British national. He died in October 1988, aged 82. 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. Issigonis (standing) with the special at Shelsey Walsh hillclimb. And a rally demon was born. 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. Thank you very much for a wonderful biography. 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. Prior to his death, Alec and his mother travelled overland to London. A flawed genius, yes, and BMCs failure to manage him is clear. That's exactly what he did. Not sure how true it is, but I read somewhere that he even designed the ashtrays for the Minor. Sir Alec was a combination of everything that was right AND wrong about the British car industry in his day. Great summary of a giant of industrial design. *27/02/01 The new Mini which will go on sale in the UK summer 2001, was , being unveiled for the first time. Issigonis legacy. Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world. I got to drive his Red mini when I went for fish and chips on a Friday. Alec Issigonis was born on the 18th of November, 1906. The Boudjah - Smyrna born Alec Issigonis was an engineering genius and even after his death there is a fan base for his cars. Fascinating lost papers from the man who created the Mini and the. Yes, it ran like hell when operable as the owner treated it like an Army Jeep. 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. I appreciate the research the depth and the smooth writing style to present it all in a gripping way. Alec's grandfather Demosthenis migrated to Smyrna from the Greek island of Paros in the 1830s. . Issigonis made a grandfather clock from it, which kept good time. 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. Birth Name: Alec Issigonis Occupation: Entrepreneur Place Of Birth: Turkey Date Of Birth: November 18, 1906 Date Of Death: October 2, 1988 Cause Of Death: N/A Ethnicity: Unknown Nationality: Greek Alec Issigonis was born on the 18th of November, 1906. I saw that same car several times, so, at least in nice weather, it apparently was a daily driver. 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. The initials "G.I." On his side, Issigonis built a large model railway in the double garage that ran out through the walls and around the garden. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. 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. Sticks in my mind I read a road test that put engine speed at 60 around 4,000rpm. The loss of British sovereignty led not only to a political defeat but also to an oil crisis. His efforts were concentrated on two things continuing to promote the 1968 9X concept to BLMC, and working on the concept of a gearless version of the Mini, using a torque converter, that was not a technical success. He was a race car driver during the 30s and 40s. 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. 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. Shunning all offers of silver service with the management. From then onwards, any car in the small or medium market without a transverse engine was considered unusual, and conservative. The Minor was, of course, a huge success, for Nuffield and for Issigonis. By October 1959, the Mini was on sale and when the press first got their hands on BMCs new car, they were not shy to praise it; the Minis unique personality, exceptional space efficiency, lively performance and tenacious front-wheel-drive handling meant that it was a sure fire hit with the critics. Arguably, Issigonis and BL were in danger of being left behind. 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. 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. The son of a Greek merchant, Issigonis immigrated to London in 1922 during the war between Greece and Turkey. 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. Chrysler also took a licence to manufacture the device, which was an integral part of their pioneering overdrive in 1934. 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. The 1100 benefited from someone elses external design. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Issigonis also devised a compact suspension system made of rubber cones instead of springs to keep the wheel wells from intruding into the passenger compartment. in there was a 1 hr "The Mini Man " -Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 by great friend and car fanatic Peter Ustinov. Alec Issigonis is a famous Entrepreneur. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. Issigonis had also been involved in the larger Oxford, Isis and Wolseley ranges. His family had to flee Smyrne to es- cape the genocide of 1922 by the Turks. I dont remember Dad as being what youd call a sporting driver, but he never considered the later Austin-based Oxfords. Another Mini! Demosthenis's son (Alec's father) Constantine Issigonis (Greek: ), was born, with British nationality, in Smyrna in 1872. Production only finished after BMW had bailed out of Rover in 2000. Issigonis's own automotive career as a designer and engineer in England first took shape during the early 1930s when he began working for the vehicle manufacturer . Rover used the freewheel extensively, on cars and Land Rovers, into the 1960s. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. BLMC says, Archive : Lord Stokes writes to Alec Issigonis, Archive : How Harry Webster is going to shape your car, Archive : The Thoughts of Chairman Stokes, Archive : Issigonis The Giant Who Thought Small, Archive : Creative role for Issigonis in BMC board switch, Archive : Mr Issigonis looks to the future, Archive : Interview Motor meets Alec Issigonis, The cars : Alfa Romeo Alfasud development story, Opinion : Celebrating 40 years of the Austin Maestro, Essay : Austin Maestro styling the real killer, Concepts and prototypes : LM10 and LM11 facelifts, Archive : Coventry Council Debates Rover Crisis, News : PSA confirms continued van production in Luton. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. He remained on the BL books as a consultant until 1988, shortly before his death. They kept it several years until they decided they needed their 1st air-conditioned car a 66 LeMans. Humber was the upscale brand of the Rootes Group, but also the name of the main car building company in the Group. Sir Alec Issigonis celebrates one of the many milestones of the Mini dynasty. No wonder Issigonis felt flattered I feel very, very proud that so many people have copied me.. 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. To get to this point wasnt easy. His father died in 1922, at which point he and his mother moved to the U.K.. Issigonis was born in Smyrna in 1906. 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 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. 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 confronted the conservative image of BMC head on, even if the rest of BMC range didnt. Having been a passenger in an early Austin Landcrab on several occasions I can confirm they are amazingly spacious inside, front and rear. 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. 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. 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. Daniels (right) and Sheppard (left), no doubt, had to smooth a few ruffled feathers on the way. . . Young Alec grew up in a very affluent environment, with influences from Germany and Greece (he grew up speaking German and Greek), rather than Turkey and Britain. Ford clinging to the T too long was the same sort of corporate inertia that had VW clinging to the Bug too long. Sir Alecs design which we built won the design centre award. I was amazed at the amount of space in that car you could even hide things in the cubbyhole under the rear seat. The floor is flat and low to the ground and windows all round make it seem very airy. Corrections? As a matter of interest, go to this site: and click on the Letter From Dr. Alex Moulton link. Issigonis spent his early years as an engineer with Morris Motors working on steering and suspension. It was through his mother's kinships that Issigonis was a first cousin once removed to BMW and Volkswagen director Bernd Pischetsrieder.[5]. JUMP TO: Alec Issigoniss biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. The greatest overall compatibility with Scorpio is Taurus and Cancer. He often had to be discreetly talked through financial documents when he was in the board meetings. This post and its visuals and videos explains this pivotal vector of the international industry with such clarity and depth. If only it had had more power and better gearing. His inability to accept guidance (stubbornness may be a better term) also led to some misjudged products the Maxi comes to mind but perhaps the purity of hispredominantly engineering solution with poor execution in the areas Issigonis didnt or wouldnt appreciate (looks, practicality, ergonomics, product revisions, marketing) was also overlooked by too many within BMC. 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 . While much derided for its lack of style, I do love the huge smile he put on the front of the original 1800 Landcrab. At the opening of the factory BMC was represented by Sir Alec Issigonis. Upon meeting Alec, she is shy and ashamed . Biography: Sir ALEC issigonis - The designer of Britain's favourite cars, Britain's favourite car designer . It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. Your article sure did him justice; thank you, Roger. Issigonis would work on the 9X programme, which included a replacement Mini and a new and innovative gearless transmission system. 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. His little cars were a success despite him. The rest is racing . He and Frank Stephenson are both famous car designers. A testament to brilliant design or to the modern industrys tendencies towards aversion of risk, I wont say surely some of both. 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. Noch ein Mini! Issigonis's mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. info@oxbotica.com +44 (0)1865 433 998. Richard Bremneris well-known for being a highly-respected motoring scribe, but in his formative years, he worked in the employ of Austin-Rover. Joseph Lowrey, [], The Mini hit its big landmark in 1969, a seismic year in the history of BMC>Rover. Therefore some functionality is missing. Was it to be water or air cooled? 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. By 1941, Issigonis had started work on an advanced post war car, then codenamed Mosquito, which became the Morris Minor. 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. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born in Smyrna, on November 18, 1906 and he is the man who designed one of the most beloved cars in the world, the legendary Mini Cooper! . . In later years, the car would become known simply as the Mini. Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. It was still in production when BMW, led by Bernd Pischetsreider, bought Rover in 1994. In 1969, in recognition of his engineering genius, Queen Elizabeth granted him Knighthood. 1925 . He would instead research work on his Mini replacement the 9X with its compact transverse engine. But there were other 20th century cataclysms that he lived and worked through as a designer - including the Suez crisis of 1956. 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. 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. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . 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. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis ( 18. listopadu 1906 Smyrna - 2. jna 1988 Birmingham) byl ecko - britsk automobilov konstruktr narozen na zem dnenho Turecka. Sixty years ago today . Apparently Walter Chrysler could also be difficult to work with. Matchbox featured an MG 1100 in its 1-75 line-up for many years. The end of the agreement came in 1986, when Issigonis wrote directly to Graham Day, BLs then new Chairman. The mini leaked like a sieve because of the way hed designed the sills and had to be redesigned. [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). He was retired from British Leyland in 1971, memorably being given a Meccano kit for his leaving present. Alec Issigonis was born in Smyrna (now Izmir) in Turkey on 18 November 1906 to a British-naturalized father of Greek origin and a Bavarian-born mother. Youre right about maintenance. Alec Issigonis Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Relationships, Married, Dating, Family, Wiki Biography . as an American familiar only with U.S. cars. 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. During this time he started to build a special sprint racer with a friend. 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. Astrologers and astronomers could only work with planets visible to the eye. Issigonis was a remarkable engineer and obviously made his mark. Oak placed another engineer, Jack Daniels, alongside him to keep his feet on the ground. Was it to be front or rear engined? 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. Issigonis 'response was dry and forceful:'I'm an engineer. 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. Towards the end of WW2, he began work on the Mosquito project, which ended up being launched in 1948 as the Morris Minor. Sir Alec Issigonis hadn't even seen a car until he was 12 years old. Designer Alec Issigonis was born in the southern Anatolian city of Smyrna in 1906. 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. BMC was producing over 11,000 Issigonis-designed front-wheel-drive models a week, with demand still exceeding production, which was continually increased. He was impossible to work with, had Henry Fords arrogance and nearly bankrupted the company like Ford, by refusing to listen to anyone. Back the early 2,000 B.C. 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. Alec is also well known as, British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. Encouraged by the success of the Morris Minor, Issigonis continued his design work at Morris (including work on a replacement for the Minor with a transverse 4 cylinderengine with an endon gearbox) until the merger with the Austin in 1952 to form BMC. Where was the gearbox to be fitted on a front wheel drive car? Most events entered were sprints, but he also raced at circuits. The cars design with its front wheel drive and independent suspension provided good road handling, but Issigonis had scant regard for passenger comfort. He title at Alvis was Engineer in charge of passenger car design. I do not know how many I have owned Morrises, Austins and MGs. 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. 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. Not something one would anticipate until it is experienced. He [], DAILY EXPRESS By David Benson Harry Webster is a quiet, unassuming, generous man of 54. 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. Durante o curso ele foi reprovado trs vezes em matemtica. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. William Morris (Lord Nuffield) didnt like it, naming it the poached egg and expressed no appreciation of it to Issigonis, until 1951 when 100,000 cars had been built. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. Then of course there was severe corrosion in the face of road salt. ADO15, 16 & 17 (36792752942).jpg 1 712 1 936; 589 KB Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. After studying engineering, he joined Morris Motors in 1936 as a suspension designer. Alec Issigonis is part of G.I. Sir Alec Issigonis started his career at Humber, known for their Humber Snipe and Humber Hawk models, even Queen Elizabeth II owned a Humber. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis (Greek: , )CBE FRS RDI (18 November 1906 2 October 1988) was a British-Greek automotive designer. We will continue to update information on Alec Issigoniss parents. 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. [], 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. A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. That is how many of us know about these cars or about many 1960s British cars, in general. In 1934 Issigonis was invited to join the drawing office at Humber Ltd in Coventry. It was apparent to Morriss senior managers that Issigonis was cut from a different cloth compared to his contemporaries. In 1961, a shipload of Minis suffered mild water damage on their journey to the east coast of US. The first application of Sir Alec Issigonis' engineering breakthrough - All Photos by Randy Stern, except otherwise noted Remember Sir Alec Issigonis? Issigonis continued to work as Engineering Director at the Austin-Morris Division of BMC, and as Technical Director of BMC in 1965. Alexander Issigonis was born into the Greek community of Smyrna (now Izmir) in Ottoman Turkey. 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. Im sure this was never part of Issigoniss plan, as he was anti-style, but only the 1100 benefited from external help. In 1922 the family left Turkey for England, as all British people were banished from the country. Unfortunately the ADO16 did not do well in the U.S. as the Austin America, which was imported here in an attempt to eat some of VWs lunch in the late 1960s. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death and commemorations 4 Some of his cars In 1942, Morris gave Issigonis overall responsibility for an all-new model; the Morris Minor.