The first application of Sir Alec Issigonis' engineering breakthrough - All Photos by Randy Stern, except otherwise noted Remember Sir Alec Issigonis? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He despised such luxuries as radios and comfortable seats, once stating I would like people to sit on nails to be extremely uncomfortable all the time. and declaring that an uncomfortable driver is an alert driver. It is really amazing, when you think of it, that some 60 years later his basic vision rolls off of assembly lines all over the world. 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. 1988: The Passing of an Automotive Legend - Transportation History Alec Issigonis is a famous Entrepreneur. This post and its visuals and videos explains this pivotal vector of the international industry with such clarity and depth. View gallery - 6 images. This greatly modified machine was replaced with a radical special completed in 1939, constructed of plywood laminated in aluminium sheeting. But this also reflects Issigoniss personal characteristics he was a strong minded, stubborn and arrogant man who did did not always have a lot of respect for others opinions and suggestions. Your article sure did him justice; thank you, Roger. (The Maxi, by comparison, was a bland lump.). Enter your username or email to reset your password. Noch ein Mini (A Mini! 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? 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. 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. Twitter; Kereta rekaannya, BMC Mini dilancarkan dalam tahun 1959. Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. 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. John Daly, Your email address will not be published. To achieve this feat, Issigonis utilized a front wheel drive layout with a transverse-mounted engine, the first modern application of this concept. Alec Issigonis - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia The childhood . Essay on The Pure Voice in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. He also took his lunch with the workers in the local pub and travelled to this in our Bedford crew bus with wooden bench seats. Alec Issigonis | Automotive Hall of Fame I wanted to know the genesis. Thanks for a wonderfully researched article! Alec Issigonis, technical director of the British Motor Corporation and Charles Griffin, chief engineer, answer questions from our technical editor. 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. 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. 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. On 15 October 2006 a rally was held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England, to celebrate the centenary of Issigonis's birth. [], 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. This undated sketch by Issigonis shows some of this. 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. Sir Alec Issigonis - Person - National Portrait Gallery People born under this sign are seen as warm-hearted and easygoing. Building 9400 Oxford Business Park North Alec Issigonis Way Oxford OX4 2HN Alec Issigonis - Trivia, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays There was a good reason for BMC selecting him for this task, for Issigonis was born in Izmir. Matchbox featured an MG 1100 in its 1-75 line-up for many years. The Mini, and the other Issigonis BMC front wheel drive cars, benefited from Issigonis continuing collaboration with Alex Moulton and his suspension system developments. 1959: The Mini Was Born. | MINI.com I am well acquainted with the brilliant/stubborn/arrogant type of engineer, I have occasionally served as a Daniels, and my own brilliant/stubborn/arrogant Grandfather could have probably used one too. As a matter of interest, go to this site: and click on the Letter From Dr. Alex Moulton link. He was involved in engine design as well, requesting unsuccessfully that BL build 4 and 6 cylinder engines for Mini variants. Ive often wondered how its 35 horses managed the Berkshires . Tragically, Constantine Issigonis contracted a serious illness, and died in Malta in June 1923. Bernd Peter Pischetsrieder. Issigonis' creation was remarkable, but it really only became a Mini when he got a little help from his friend, motorsport pioneer John Cooper. And a rally demon was born. The image his cars achieved for BMC was arguably a factor in the survival of the company in the market place, and BMC used his personality extensively in advertising whichyou can imagine Issigonis publicly hating but privately loving. BMC made cuts of 6,000 in the labour force almost overnight and without consultation, whilst Lord noted the sales of the imported European bubble cars. Noch ein Mini! It was still in production when BMW, led by Bernd Pischetsreider, bought Rover in 1994. Day terminated the consultancy agreement, without any more consultation. What a great, nicely balanced piece about the ever-controversial Sir Alec, and his equally controversial designs. 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. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Issigonis went into the motor industry as an engineer and designer working for Humber and competed successfully in motor racing during the 1930s and 1940s. meantime, John preferred his psychedelic Rolls .. Roger, hats off for this excellent treatment of an engineering legend. He was retired from British Leyland in 1971, memorably being given a Meccano kit for his leaving present. Beatles' Minis: Cars belonging to McCartney, Harrison and Ringo are on is military terminology referring to "Government Issue" or "General Issue". Shunning all offers of silver service with the management. Bedtime story - Alec Issigonis - Enthusiasts of British Motor Vehicles People over the road from us had a Wolseley Six (top of the range Landcrab) when we were kids. Aos 16 mudou-se para Inglaterra onde iria cursar engenharia. Issigonis never married; most accounts suggest that he was probably gay but he was obviously unable to express himself without huge risk to his professional status and even the risk of prosecution. Was it to be water or air cooled? Address 8050 Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford, OX4 2HW. Alec Issigonis : The Man Who Made the Mini - books.google.com The relationship got to the point where Issigonis had the ideas, did the sketches and Daniels did the formal drawings. Joseph Lowrey, [], The Mini hit its big landmark in 1969, a seismic year in the history of BMC>Rover. MG 1100/1300 Register - NAMGBR His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis . History of MINI - Story, Heritage & Origins | MINI USA Cylcops center guage; magic wand shift-lever; and bus-sized steering wheel. 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 . Noch ein Mini! Who are the richest people in the world? Dear Mr Day I have not met you but I feel I must write to explain a few points. * Commander of the British Empire (1964), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (1967), Royal Designer for Industry (1964). Addresses | OxfordBiomedica Austin Maxi: Big On The Inside But Not On The Outside, What a great write up Roger. 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. A series engine, with gearbox beneath and side mounted radiator. Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. Issigonis (standing) with the special at Shelsey Walsh hillclimb. Biography: Sir Alec Issigonis - The Designer of Britain's Favourite 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. Issigoniss first project was to design an independent suspension for Rootes highest volume car, the Hillman Minx. His mother was Bavarian, the daughter of a brewer. As a young man, Constantine was sent to England to study, and he later married Hulda Prokopp, the daughter of a wealthy German brewer in Smyrna. On his side, Issigonis built a large model railway in the double garage that ran out through the walls and around the garden. His father, however, did not survive the crossing. The family had an engineering business making marine engines and pumps, and it was from observing his father at work that he determined to become an engineer. During the war, Morris Motors undertook military work, notably the development of the Morris lightweight reconnaissance vehicle for the War Department. The original plan called for a large family car by 1960, to be followed by a smaller car and then a city car. He left Morris in 1952 for Alvis just as BMC was created from Austin and Morris (as well as Riley, Wolseley and MG).. All I know is, which car I would rather be in driving if there was any tricky situation [], DAILY MIRROR By Richard Sear No man looks less designed to start off the cult of the miniature. It was as modern and progressive in 1948 as the ADO16 Morris 1100 was in 1962, and let down only by the relatively weak and old side valve engine. A flawed genius, yes, and BMCs failure to manage him is clear. " Sir Alec Issigonis. In 1942, the first scale model was produced and the following year work began on a hand-formed steel prototype. Excellent article. 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. Alec Issigonis - Etsy Alec's grandfather Demosthenis migrated to Smyrna from the Greek island of Paros in the 1830s. 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. Youre right about maintenance. Austin 1800 (ADO18 Landcrab): Best In Class Or Just Plain Ugly? 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. 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. Autokonstrukteur, GBPortrt mit Zigarette- 1959. Alec Issigonis - Etsy Check out our alec issigonis selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. [3] His paternal grandfather, Demosthenis, had migrated to Smyrna from the Greek island of Paros in the 1830s and Constantine was a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer. This car basically took the Mini concept and enlarged it by 20%, adding some experience, and ambition, at the same time. 37 Sir Alec Issigonis Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images The Creator of An Iconic Car: Alec Issigonis. - Mini ALEC ISSIGONIS Automotive Designer (1906-1988) One of the most original car designers of the modern era, ALEC ISSIGONIS (1906-1988) is best known as the creator of the Mini, but also designed two more of the five best-selling cars in British motoring history - the Morris Minor and the Austin 1100. . They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. 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. Like many famous people and celebrities, Alec Issigonis kept his personal life private. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. I remember seeing early Civics with trunks and the early VW Dasher had a trunk, in spite of its fastback bodywork. 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. 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. Alec Issigonis - Bio, Personal Life, Family & Cause Of Death - CelebsAges Its practicality and affordability made it immediately popular; by the time of Issigonis death more than five million had been sold. 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. The third front wheel drive car from BMC was the 1964 ADO17 Austin 1800 (or Landcrab), a car which Issigonis has been quoted as identifying as the design he was most proud of, and then the Austin Maxi in 1969 with less successful results. Intriguingly, it seems that the car was possibly designed to be suitable for a front wheel drive layout, with a flat floor and compact Moulton rubber cone suspension, leaving a large and spacious engine bay. Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. There is a truck factory in the city of Izmir, on the western Mediterranean coast of Turkey, builtby the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1967, and which still builds vehiclesunder the BMC brand. Yes, it ran like hell when operable as the owner treated it like an Army Jeep. He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. Alec Issigonis Biography | HowOld.co Red: Yeah, its mine. The 1100 benefited from someone elses external design. But it was an exciting period, and youve captured his personality and lasting impact well. Alec Issigonis The public don't know what they want; it's my job to tell them. Back in 1980 a friends father of mine who was a MP sergeant owned a then new Mini Cooper 1275 cc. 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. 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. To clarify, the Renault 4, 5 (first generation, Le Car), 6 and 16 all had longitudinally mounted engines. Sir Alec Issigonis. Alec Issigonis Related Authors Vivienne Westwood Quotes Virgil Abloh Quotes Coco Chanel Quotes Carroll Shelby Quotes Lords instruction was the one Issigonis had been waiting for, and he quickly developed the first Mini prototype. The Mini quickly became cult and had enthusiastic fans worldwide. Issigonis's mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. Click the answer to find similar crossword clues .

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