[citation needed], Issigonis was nicknamed "the Greek god" by his contemporaries. I wonder if he was to blame for the Mini never having a hatchback, or a more softly suspended version? 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. It interested me as I had the honour of working with sir Alec for around 3 months. Moultons hydrolastic suspension as installed on the BMC ADO16 by Issigonis. 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. Therefore, when Alec's father, Constantine Issigonis, was born in Smyrna in 1872, he was also a British national. What a great. 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, for a small town car. Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Cyber Sales Event Jewelry & Accessories Clothing & Shoes the outer planets, Uranus and Neptune were not yet discovered, since the telescope had not yet been invented. Issigonis became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1967 and was knighted in 1969. 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. But, as ever, events intervened in this case the Suez Crisis of 1956, complete with petrol rationing. It was more like a Lancia or a rear drive Citroen than a Rover or a Sunbeam-Talbot. The lower picture is is an early (1958) Issigonis drawing of his vision for the Mini. It did get Hydrolastic eventually, then lose it again. At some point in the mid-60s they ran an After the New Wears Off feature by an MG 1100 owner in Los Angeles. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. 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. . As his father studied in London, being an engineer, the family were British subjects and were thus evacuated to Malta by the Royal Navy in September 1922, ahead of the Great Fire of Smyrna at the end of the . When I was in grade school in the mid-70s, the next door neighbor of my best friend had 6 Minis. He [], DAILY EXPRESS By David Benson Harry Webster is a quiet, unassuming, generous man of 54. BMC had already developed, and asked outside consultants to develop, several concepts on various themes, none of which met the targets Lord had set, who was also determined to establish an internal capability to think, as we would now say, outside the box. with 8 letters was last seen on the March 01, 2023.We found 20 possible solutions for this clue. You serve us all wonderfully. Im sure this was never part of Issigoniss plan, as he was anti-style, but only the 1100 benefited from external help. JUMP TO: Alec Issigoniss biography, facts, family, personal life, zodiac, videos and related celebs. Issigonis quickly arranged for Jack Daniels to move up from Cowley to Longbridge to rebuild their close rapport. I do not know how many I have owned Morrises, Austins and MGs. Essay on The Pure Voice in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. On the surface it didnt appear very desirable to Me, or to prospective new-car buyers. 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. Dear Mr Day I have not met you but I feel I must write to explain a few points. [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). Getting a guy like Issigonis to design a V8 saloon and just chucking it in the bin. It didnt just raise the bar it kicked it into next week ! This page is updated often with fresh details about Alec Issigonis. Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. Constantine studied in England. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Sir Alec Issigonis started his career at Humber, known for their Humber Snipe and Humber Hawk models, even Queen Elizabeth II owned a Humber. The childhood . Ruling Planet: Alec Issigonis had a ruling planet of Pluto and has a ruling planet of Pluto. 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? Designer Alec Issigonis was born in the southern Anatolian city of Smyrna in 1906. Required fields are marked *. 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 challenge of designing the Mini was engineering a car that would seat four passengers and their luggage in a package not to exceed ten feet in length. Heynes later became Technical Director at Jaguar and was a personal friend of Issigonis for many years. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. Issigonis was born on 18 November 1906 in the Ottoman port city of Smyrna, the only child of Constantine Issigonis and Hulda Prokopp. Issigonis grandfather, Demosthenis Issigonis, had emigrated from Paros in Greece to Smyrna (as Izmir was then known) in the mid 19th century where his engineering company helped the British built the Smyrna-Aydn Railway, and through this acquired British citizenship. Stokes was heard on his appointment to say: "We'll sharp sort this bloke Issigonis out!". It is arguably doubtful that Lord, knowing Issigonis better, would have seen him as the ideal candidate for the overall technical leadership of BMC. He became the engineering director of the British Motor Corporation in 1964, and was . Issigonis had also been involved in the larger Oxford, Isis and Wolseley ranges. 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. Noch ein Mini! 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. 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. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). Sir Alec Issigonis was one of the automotive industry's great independent thinkers. Did they aim to build in greater volume, to compete with emerging brands such as Jaguar, or did they retreat further upmarket or even entirely into other activities? Sir Alec Issigonis hadn't even seen a car until he was 12 years old. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Alec Issigonis is part of G.I. 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. Issigoniss mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. . Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Horse. 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. Like many famous people and celebrities, Alec Issigonis kept his personal life private. The war years were spent. Our tool for managing your permission to our use of cookies is temporarily offline. 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. John Daly, Your email address will not be published. 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). The car was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show, alongside the Land Rover and Jaguar XK120, and the rest is pure CC history. Fascinating piece and what a character! An engineering genius and godfather of of the Mini. 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. [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. He then moved on to Alvis, where he worked on the development of a luxury saloon, but the project had to be discontinued for cost reasons. Chinese Zodiac: Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Rabbit. Joseph Lowrey, [], The Mini hit its big landmark in 1969, a seismic year in the history of BMC>Rover. And Alec Issigonis? After studying engineering, he joined Morris Motors in 1936 as a suspension designer. He and Frank Stephenson are both famous car designers. Despite its stated mission being to provide basic transport, this level of driving enjoyment, and capability, was like a non stop Christmas present. I caught up to my mate and I said thats a really cool car, what is it? Thats my BrothersMini Cooper. It confronted the conservative image of BMC head on, even if the rest of BMC range didnt. 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 greatest overall compatibility with Scorpio is Taurus and Cancer. Alec Issigonis was already known for his popular and respected Morris Minor. Apparently Walter Chrysler could also be difficult to work with. Born in Turkey, Issigonis come to England as a teenager. A deeply flawed genius at best. Bernd Peter Pischetsrieder. It was the highlight of my career and came early as I was just 18 years old and just an apprentice engineer for a tractor company. The Mini was launched in 1959, and became instantly popular. But his true interest was in the 9X and its power unit, and getting a version of it accepted by BL. 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 was a combination of everything that was right AND wrong about the British car industry in his day. I have liked them ever since. Alec Issigonis - Etsy Check out our alec issigonis selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Copyright 2023. Kereta ini menjadi kereta popular di Britain dan banyak negara di dunia, di samping berjaya menjuarai Rali Monte Carlo sebanyak 3 kali. [], By Clifford Webb British Leyland are selling the Mini at a loss despite the latest price increase and the fact that after 14 years it is still their top export [], Lord Stokes writes to Sir Alec Issigonis on this day. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Although primarily a station car, my parents also took it on a vacation through New England. Its practicality and affordability made it immediately popular; by the time of Issigonis death more than five million had been sold. Issigonis and his team produced a revolutionary car that featured a small exterior with a spacious passenger compartment and outstanding handling characteristics. It was also a specialist low volume producer of expensive, exclusive sports saloons cars not now associated with Issigonis and was at the same crossroads that so many smaller, upscale producers had been. 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! 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. If so, that would seem vindictive on Days part. 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. Issigonis was born in Smyrna in 1906. In August 1971, Issigonis drove the 2 millionth ADO16 off the line, as the same time as a Mini Clubman, which was the 5 millionth front wheel drive BMC car, came off the line in the next building. 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. This car was remarkably light, weighing 587lb, of which the engine contributed 252lb. Issigonis worked as a draughtsman and design engineer, and also in a sales and project engineer role, succeeding in securing Rover as a customer use the freewheel device on the new for 1933 Rover Ten (P1 series, above). This was to be an advanced saloon with all aluminium V-8 engine, and the original plan was for Alvis to produce 5,000 cars a year, or ten times Alviss current production rate, to compete with Riley (not then a badge engineered BMC product), Rover, Sunbeam-Talbot and Jaguar. He would instead research work on his Mini replacement the 9X with its compact transverse engine. I tell you the last time I was that close to a Japanese machine, it was shooting at me.. Issigonis would later state that pure mathematics (is) the enemy of every truly creative man. He began his engineering career at Morris Motors Ltd. in 1936 as a steering and suspension engineer. Issigonis had no input to the Marina (other than it using substantial elements from the Morris Minor of course) or the Allegro, as BMC had passed a thin very development programme to Leyland in 1968, largely due to financial pressures. Sir Alec Issigonis. Sir Alec Issigonis celebrates one of the many milestones of the Mini dynasty. He was also referred to as the Greek God, perhaps more openly. Click the answer to find similar crossword clues . Enter the length or pattern for better results. [3][6] His father died shortly after and Issigonis and his mother moved to the United Kingdom in 1923. Joseph Lowrey, MOTOR: As soon [], Mr Alec Issigoniss New B.M.C. AROnline Keith Adams 2001-2022 - please refer to the 'Terms of use' pages. A truly fascinating man he was. Was it to be front or rear engined? Prior to his death, Alec and his mother travelled overland to London. He designed the Mini, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and voted the second most influential car of the 20th century in 1999. It did not have everything Issigonis wanted, as he originally planned this car to have a V4 engine rather than the BMC A series. By 1941, Issigonis had started work on an advanced post war car, then codenamed Mosquito, which became the Morris Minor. Alec Issigonis nasceu na Turquia Filho de um grego naturalizado britnico casado com uma turca. Discover what happened on this day. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . 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. [], 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. From then onwards, any car in the small or medium market without a transverse engine was considered unusual, and conservative. Been a fan of Alec Issigonis since I was 8 years old. The loss of British sovereignty led not only to a political defeat but also to an oil crisis. [5]:277. He also has one of the finest technical brains in the country and he is [], THE GUARDIAN IAN BREACH interviews LORD STOKES Safety: British or American standards? I saw about 3 Americas in the wild that I can remember, and 1 example of the earlier MG 1100 Sport Sedan. The Austin/Morris Mini was Sir Alecs design which we built won the design centre award. . The Mini, and the other Issigonis BMC front wheel drive cars, benefited from Issigonis continuing collaboration with Alex Moulton and his suspension system developments. People over the road from us had a Wolseley Six (top of the range Landcrab) when we were kids. . The change was not handled well though, with credible accounts of a literally tearful Issigonis wandering around Longbridge trying to find a new office after returning from abroad to find Webster occupying his office. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Issigonis (standing) with the special at Shelsey Walsh hillclimb. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio and was born in the G.I. Humber was the upscale brand of the Rootes Group, but also the name of the main car building company in the Group. Starting around 1930, he raced a supercharged "Ulster" Austin Seven, later fitting it with a front axle of his own design, leading to employment at Austin. Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. 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. For his accomplishments, Queen Elizabeth knighted Issigonis in 1969. And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . Unfortunately I didnt turn out quite as brilliant, but I like to think I missed out some of the stubbornness/arrogance as well. The Landcrab and Maxi were so butt ugly that no self respecting petrolhead would be seen it one. Was it to be water or air cooled? His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis . 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. By placing an A series four cylinder engine transversely with the gearbox underneath in the sump and sharing the oil, and moving the wheels to the corners, he saved so much space that it was possible to accommodate a four seat car within a length of 10 feet. Independence is one of their greatest strengths, but sometimes they're overly frank with others. 41 Copy quote. 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. Its entirely believable that Issigonis would have been prosecuted if hed had gay sex. His father, a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer, was of Greek origin but held a British passport. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death and commemorations 4 Some of his cars 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. His father was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from the Greek island, Paros. 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. He managed to obtain his Diploma, but was not admitted to advanced studies. Yes, it ran like hell when operable as the owner treated it like an Army Jeep. The first application of Sir Alec Issigonis' engineering breakthrough - All Photos by Randy Stern, except otherwise noted Remember Sir Alec Issigonis? In 1928 his first job was in the design office of Gillett, an engineering firm in London. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. That's exactly what he did. . The Renault 14 was transversely engined, from 1976. The problem was that I would never have initially chosen to drive one. Issigonis did observe and try to improve on what he saw, but always challenged himself to be original and better. View gallery - 6 images. The car, as developed in a prototype form, showed potential as well as technical ambition the cars unitary construction made it relatively light and strong, it offered 6 seats, had a rear mounted transaxle, including the clutch, inboard rear brakes, long wheelbase configuration so typical of Issigonis and a modern, sophisticated 3.5 litre V8 engine. He remained on the BL books as a consultant until 1988, shortly before his death. I have heard some slander about his idea of putting the gearbox in the engine sump, but otherwise, he changed transportation for the masses on a scale not seen since Henry Ford. The 1100 benefited from someone elses external design. Autokonstrukteur, GBPortrt mit Zigarette- 1959. But at the age of 50, he began designing one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced: the classic Mini. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alec-Issigonis. . Moulton also designed folding, rubber suspended small-wheeled bicycles. 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.