Unfortunately I didnt turn out quite as brilliant, but I like to think I missed out some of the stubbornness/arrogance as well. Demosthenis's son (Alec's father) Constantine Issigonis (Greek: ), was born, with British nationality, in Smyrna in 1872. 1925 . He was born on November 18, 1906 and his birthplace is Turkey. Stokes was heard on his appointment to say: "We'll sharp sort this bloke Issigonis out!". When is Alec Issigoniss birthday? The Royal Navy Marines evacuated British Subjects, including the Issigonis family, from Smyrna before Turkey attacked. body design expertise was by Italian firm Pininfarina. They represent many years of design study in attempts to produce the best value for money in the field of small car design. Alec Issigonis was born on the 18th of November, 1906. If only it had had more power and better gearing. 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. Corrections? 18 November 1906 2 October 1988", Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society, " Alec Issigonis | Automotive Hall of Fame", Alec Issigonis Automotive Designer (19061988), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alec_Issigonis&oldid=1135124708, This page was last edited on 22 January 2023, at 19:54. However, there was more to his life than just one car. He [], DAILY EXPRESS By David Benson Harry Webster is a quiet, unassuming, generous man of 54. I was mesmerized and I saw my schoolmate being dropped off by his older brother who was on his way to high school. In October, 1957, just eight months after first putting pen to paper, the first prototypes were on the road. This is the main reason Lord re-hired Issigonis. At the time of his retirement, 71, hatchbacks were not the thing they were 4 years later. The Minor was, of course, a huge success, for Nuffield and for Issigonis. What a great. He was involved in engine design as well, requesting unsuccessfully that BL build 4 and 6 cylinder engines for Mini variants. But there were other 20th century cataclysms that he lived and worked through as a designer - including the Suez crisis of 1956. Decades later, despite enormous further developments, the vehicle has lost none of its initial charm. Engine access on the Mini was very awkward, and this was only improved on the ADO16 because Jack Daniels was able to keep Issigonis away from the detail work, which was largely done at Cowley in Oxford rather than Longbridge. In 1969, in recognition of his engineering genius, Queen Elizabeth granted him Knighthood. Ive often wondered how its 35 horses managed the Berkshires . Alec Issigonis is part of G.I. Shunning all offers of silver service with the management. I wanted to know the genesis. 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. 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. 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. is bigger, and is just one of a family of related models. Enter your username or email to reset your password. Morris 1100. 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. He lived and worked in England " A camel is a horse designed by a committee " " Pure Math is the enemy of every truly creative man" Sir Alec's grandfather Demosthenes was sort of a mechanical genius having . 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. Issigonis' first cousin once removed was Bernd Pischetsreider, responsible . The Landcrab and Maxi were so butt ugly that no self respecting petrolhead would be seen it one. XC/9002 became ADO16 and was launched as the Morris 1100 with the Hydrolastic interconnected suspension system in August 1962. . 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. A more powerful engine, bigger brakes and a few tuning tweaks later, the Classic Mini Cooper 997 was introduced. 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. Issigonis continued to work as Engineering Director at the Austin-Morris Division of BMC, and as Technical Director of BMC in 1965. [], 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. Certainly, it was not the right job for him, taking him too far away from the sketching and ideas, and into meetings about pay scale reviews and marketing policies. His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis . Alec Issigonis was a Greek-British automobile engineer and designer, best known for designing the Mini, a compact car that became a cultural icon in Britain and other countries. Your article sure did him justice; thank you, Roger. I saw about 3 Americas in the wild that I can remember, and 1 example of the earlier MG 1100 Sport Sedan. Alecs education details are not available at this time. Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world? This prototype never saw the light of day mores the pity. Alec Issigonis - Etsy Check out our alec issigonis selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Alec Issigoniss birth sign is Scorpio and he had a ruling planet of Pluto. Born Alexandros Arnoldos Konstantinos Issigonis on the 18th of November, 1906, Alexander Issigonis' family were part of the Greek community in the port city of Smrna. Alec Issigonis's mother was German, and it was on her side of the family that he was a first cousin once removed to automobile engineer and executive manager Bernd Pischetsrieder. Alec Issigonis It is much easier to drive without having an accident. By the mid 1950s, as Europe got back on its feet after the war, there had been many attempts to define the modern car, but none was proving to be dominantly successful. His father, a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer, was of Greek origin but held a British passport. His father died in 1922, at which point he and his mother moved to the U.K.. Twitter; All Rights Reserved. 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. [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. People born under this sign are seen as warm-hearted and easygoing. 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. Issigonis was giving punters what they needed, rather than what they wanted. Issigonis died in England in 1988 at the age of 81, having lived long enough to see his beloved Mini sell in excess of five million units. An amazing man, and someone who would probably never rise to prominence in todays auto industry. Issigonis became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1967 and was knighted in 1969. Comments about the bus-like steering wheel angle remind me of what I learned about that subject from my Italian cars (Fiats): the relatively horizontal wheel requires/enables the driver to push forward, rather than up, to make a turn a difference that makes better use of the arm, translating to easier and less tiring driving. Sort By: Better Essays. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. He was a race car driver during the 30s and 40s. . At Alvis, Issigoniss main task was to lead the development of a more affordable, higher volume luxury car. Designer Alec Issigonis was born in the southern Anatolian city of Smyrna in 1906. Alexandros Arnold Constantine Issigonis, more commonly known as Alec Issigionis, was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, on November 18, 1906. Ive never been inside a Landcrab or a Maxi, but I understand that while they are very spacious, the ergonomics are pretty poor. Youre right about maintenance. Getting a guy like Issigonis to design a V8 saloon and just chucking it in the bin. Even more significantly, it effectively defined the configuration of the small and medium car for the next 50 years. Issigonis 'response was dry and forceful:'I'm an engineer. The typical American indifference to regular maintenance did not play well with this setup. 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. Having failed his mathematics exams three times, subsequently declaring it 'the most uncreative subject you can study',[3] Issigonis decided to enter the University of London External Programme to complete his university education. Astrologers and astronomers could only work with planets visible to the eye. He was a race car driver during the 30's and 40's. Issigonis (standing) with the special at Shelsey Walsh hillclimb. [], BMC changed the world with the launch of the Mini in 1959. Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio and was born in the G.I. 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. Lord was looking for modernity, but he was also looking for commonality of engines, good quality design and cars good enough to be amongst the best in their class and internationally competitive. Alec Issigonis Way Oxford Business Park Oxford OX4 2HN United Kingdom Telephone: +44 (0) 1865 783 000 Oxford Biomedica Solutions 1 Patriots Park Bedford MA 01730 United States Telephone: +1 781 428 4536 Email :solutions.partnering@oxb.com Oxford Biomedica (Ireland) Ltd Office 502 Balheary Demense Balheary Road Swords Co. Dublin Ireland Another Mini! 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. Another Mini!). And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . When Alvis cancelled the project, Issigonis was invited by BMC Chairman Sir Leonard Lord to return to BMC at Longbridge, as Chief Body and Chassis engineer, and reporting to BMC Technical Director Sydney Smith. Joseph Lowrey, MOTOR: As soon [], Mr Alec Issigoniss New B.M.C. This strong streak of fierce independence and lack of compromise hid his lateral approach to the design and engineering of cars. Get In Touch Call or Email. 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. The strengths of this sign are being resourceful, brave, passionate, a true friend, while weaknesses can be distrusting, jealous, secretive and violent. Copyright 2023. 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. 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. Thanks for the great article. Iconic. Issigonis with XC/9001, the car that became the Landcrab. [16], In 2003 he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in the United States. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. Sticks in my mind I read a road test that put engine speed at 60 around 4,000rpm. I appreciate the research the depth and the smooth writing style to present it all in a gripping way. The Mini was designed by. The boxy, inexpensive, fuel-efficient Mini used a transverse engine to power its front wheelsa radical design at the timeand thus could comfortably seat four passengers despite being only 10 feet (3 m) long. Constantine studied in England. MINI, official partner of Team GB and ParalympicsGB, has unveiled its new London 2012 special, Keith Adams Well, Christmas and Boxing Day are out of the way and the, The replacement for the Austin-Healey 3000 never took off, thanks in part to a poor, British Motor Holdings the joining of BMC and Jaguar, The cars : Mini (ADO15) development story Part One, Concepts and prototypes : BMC 9X (1968-87), Blog : Why the Italians beat us to a supermini by a decade, History : The Road to Perdition Part One, Interview : Alec Issigonis on the BMC 1100, Archive : Mini Shortlisted For Car Of The Century, Archive : Mini still sold at a loss. Road & Tracks test of the Austin America included the line, Superb four-speed fully automatic transmission makes more difference than youd believe possible. But they also noted that with just a few thousand miles on their test car, there was some issue (I forget what) with the trunk lock, and the outside of the engine was covered with oily black grime. The relationship got to the point where Issigonis had the ideas, did the sketches and Daniels did the formal drawings. [], 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. Issigonis had some success at club racing level and in 1935 travelled with his lifelong friend George Dowson to the German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. Who are the richest people in the world? BL were in thrall of the myth theyd created, but the buying public had much more sense. 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. As a person whos worked as a CAD drafter for 24 years, I wonder what his objection to CAD was. Noch ein Mini! The Morris Minor was an immediate success, selling over 11 million units, and was the first characterization of Issigoniss philosophy of maximizing interior space while shrinking all other components. Issigonis was an engineer, first and foremost, but I have used the terms design/designer in this piece, in the way that was contemporaneous to Issigonis and as he would have understood it, although we would now use use engineering. The big steering wheels angle was a bit bus-like though. So Sir Alec Issigonis had an impact on my life. Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS, RDI (18 November 1906 - 2 October 1988) was a Greek-British designer of cars, now remembered chiefly for the groundbreaking and influential . Having been a passenger in an early Austin Landcrab on several occasions I can confirm they are amazingly spacious inside, front and rear. 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. Copyright 2011 - 2023 Curbside Classics. Apparently Walter Chrysler could also be difficult to work with. Contents Early life and education Career Legacy Honours Some of his cars Alec Issigoniss mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. In 1942, Morris gave Issigonis overall responsibility for an all-new model; the Morris Minor. 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. On 15 October 2006 a rally was held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England, to celebrate the centenary of Issigonis's birth. 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) This car basically took the Mini concept and enlarged it by 20%, adding some experience, and ambition, at the same time. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire (now zmir, Turkey) on November 18, 1906, Issigonis immigrated to England with his family in 1922 and later studied engineering at . Happy birthday to the Mini! If only it had had more power and better gearing. 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 . This isnt 1942. Not something one would anticipate until it is experienced. No wonder Issigonis felt flattered I feel very, very proud that so many people have copied me.. This undated sketch by Issigonis shows some of this. Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. Noch ein Mini (A Mini! After returning to England in 1922, he enrolled in engineering school, failing mathematics at every turn. Dear Mr Day I have not met you but I feel I must write to explain a few points. He was appointed to this post by Lords successor, Sir George Harriman, who was even more in awe of him than Lord was, but also was even more unable to control and guide Issigonis. 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. as an American familiar only with U.S. cars. Issigonis returned to BMC to design a range of family vehicles. Back the early 2,000 B.C. Most events he entered were sprints and hillclimbs, but he also competed in some circuit races. Lords instruction was the one Issigonis had been waiting for, and he quickly developed the first Mini prototype. The Crossword Solver found 30 answers to "an alec issigonis family car launched in 1969 (6,4)", 10 letters crossword clue. . Alec Issigonis. in there was a 1 hr "The Mini Man " -Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 by great friend and car fanatic Peter Ustinov. 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. The Automotive Hall of Fame. 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. Issigonis had also been involved in the larger Oxford, Isis and Wolseley ranges. Issigonis was a good packaging designer. His little cars were a success despite him. The lower picture is is an early (1958) Issigonis drawing of his vision for the Mini. The above photo is a publicity shot with the first produced Mini, at his retirement in 1972. By 1938, Issigonis was lead engineer for steering and suspension for all the Morris car range. The car was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show, alongside the Land Rover and Jaguar XK120, and the rest is pure CC history. is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". File nella categoria "Alec Issigonis" Questa categoria contiene 5 file, indicati di seguito, su un totale di 5. He managed to obtain his Diploma, but was not admitted to advanced studies. Your email address will not be published. My sister had an MG 1100 which blew me away in 1970. He immigrated to Britain in 1922, studied engineering and in 1948 masterminded the Morris Minor, the first British car to sell more than a million. 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. Alec Issigonis An expert is someone who tells you why you can't do something. The gearbox in sump was a dead end in terms of automotive design. Its practicality and affordability made it immediately popular; by the time of Issigonis death more than five million had been sold. 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. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death and commemorations 4 Some of his cars Alec Issigonis was born in Turkey. View gallery - 6 images. 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 MG 1100 Sport Sedan a perfect choice when a two-seater MG is too small. [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. There was a long drive way that ran along the school cafeteria that parents used to drop off students in the morning. He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. 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. For Alec Issigonis it was THE chance to prove himself. The greatest overall compatibility with Scorpio is Taurus and Cancer. For his accomplishments, Queen Elizabeth knighted Issigonis in 1969. Although primarily a station car, my parents also took it on a vacation through New England. BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. Day terminated the consultancy agreement, without any more consultation. Tragically, Constantine Issigonis contracted a serious illness, and died in Malta in June 1923. Our tool for managing your permission to our use of cookies is temporarily offline. Discover what happened on this day. My appreciation of Issigonis designs really came when Auntie Merle traded her Austin A30 (horrible car) for a Morris 1100. Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Horse. Issigonis quickly arranged for Jack Daniels to move up from Cowley to Longbridge to rebuild their close rapport. [4] Issigonis officially retired from the motor industry in 1971, although he continued working until shortly before his death in 1988 at his house in Edgbaston, Birmingham. [], The Mini is 63 years old this week. It did not have everything Issigonis wanted, as he originally planned this car to have a V4 engine rather than the BMC A series. 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. On a cheerier note, Id love to see that Alvin on the flesh. 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. Looking at the Minor or the Mini, I can believe that. 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 . Kereta rekaannya, BMC Mini dilancarkan dalam tahun 1959. Noch ein Mini!