The gearbox in sump was a dead end in terms of automotive design. Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. It has since proved to be the template for the small car for nearly 60 years it has still not been bettered and was followed as early as 1963 by the Autobianchi Primula, which had the first end on gearbox on its transverse engine, by the 1965 Peugeot 204 with a configuration closer to the ADO16 but larger, and 1967 by the Simca 1100, the first to combine an end on gearbox and a hatchback. Professor Alex Moulton. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . Issigonis 'response was dry and forceful:'I'm an engineer. I wonder if he was to blame for the Mini never having a hatchback, or a more softly suspended version? . 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. That is how many of us know about these cars or about many 1960s British cars, in general. : Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis , CBE, FRS, RDI 19061118-1988102 . Alec is also well known as, British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. 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 [16], In 2003 he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in the United States. Absolutely brilliant article about an engineering genius. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. [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). Unless it was at some very small, unique company; something like TVR comes to mind. Enter a Crossword Clue Sort by Length 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. In later years, the car would become known simply as the Mini. He was born on November 18, 1906 and his birthplace is Turkey. The Axis Powers? Production only finished after BMW had bailed out of Rover in 2000. Not sure how true it is, but I read somewhere that he even designed the ashtrays for the Minor. 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. Morriss chief engineer, A V (Vic) Oak, recognised that Issigoniss greatest asset was his imagination but also noted that it needed to be guided firmly but carefully to bring out the best of it. 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. The war prevented this design from going into production but it was later used on the MG Y-type. The son of a Greek merchant, Issigonis immigrated to London in 1922 during the war between Greece and Turkey. During the Second World War, Britain was in control of the Suez Canal, which served as an important source of oil, but this changed during the so called Suez crisis in 1956. But accounts do suggest it done in a pretty crass way. Richard Bremneris well-known for being a highly-respected motoring scribe, but in his formative years, he worked in the employ of Austin-Rover. Perhaps it was a trait that ran in the family. This would have been in the early 70s when they were literally everywhere. 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. Was it to be water or air cooled? My doodles and sketches are not the work of an academic engineer. 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. 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. American Brands: AMC, Jeep and All Others, Tractors, Lawn Mowers, Off-Road Equipment, Biography: Sir Alec Issigonis The Designer of Britains Favourite Cars, Britains Favourite Car Designer, I have labelled it the Most Significant Car of the 1940s, Vintage R&T Technical Analysis: AMCs New Pacer As Short As A Pinto; As Wide As A Chevelle, Vintage Car Life Comparison: 1961 VW Bus, Corvair Greenbrier, and Ford Econoline Wherein A 40 HP VW Bus Ties An 80 HP Greenbrier In The 1/4 Mile, Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: NSU Ro80 Just Your Typical Bay Area Car Show, The CC Graveyard: Part Three An Exotic Foreigner Hiding In The Bushes, Wordless Outtake: Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Renault, MAN The Subcontractors Sixsome, BOAL: 1982 Honda GL500 Silverwing Chapter 5, The Baby Wing. Ive never been inside a Landcrab or a Maxi, but I understand that while they are very spacious, the ergonomics are pretty poor. 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. Below are all possible answers to this clue ordered by its rank. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. Not something one would anticipate until it is experienced. (The Maxi, by comparison, was a bland lump.). 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. On his side, Issigonis built a large model railway in the double garage that ran out through the walls and around the garden. What a great. Unique. If it was front engined, was it to be rear wheel or front wheel drive? Sketch by the late Sir Alec Issigonis, of the original Morris Minor, circa 1946. [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. His mother was Bavarian, the daughter of a brewer. Contents Early life and education Career Legacy Honours Some of his cars Roger, are you saying that Graham Day ended the consultancy and goodwill payments because he was offended by Issigoniss letter? 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? Copyright 2011 - 2023 Curbside Classics. The Renault 14 was transversely engined, from 1976. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Its entirely believable that Issigonis would have been prosecuted if hed had gay sex. 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. Thanks for the great article. 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. Shortly after in 1962, when gender roles were thought to be defined, one woman chose a life of speed. Great summary of a giant of industrial design. (first posted 10/24/2016) Alec Issigonis, along with Sir Henry Royce and perhaps Colin Chapman, has the greatest name recognition in the UK for any British car designer or engineer. Alec Issigonis. In 1942, Morris gave Issigonis overall responsibility for an all-new model; the Morris Minor. Lord (later Lord Lambury, above) had big ambitions for BMC and initially tasked Issigonis with developing the basis for a range of modern family cars to replace the existing collection of BMC products. The Royal Navy Marines evacuated British Subjects, including the Issigonis family, from Smyrna before Turkey attacked. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. . 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. Issigonis did observe and try to improve on what he saw, but always challenged himself to be original and better. Issigonis designed the most enduring small cars of the twentieth century, the Morris Minor (1948) and the Mini (1959) - a testament to his insistence that 'styled' cars dated quickly. Humber were more interested in the sales engineer than his product, and Issigonis moved to Humber in 1933. Found an ad for the US market 1100. He was also referred to as the Greek God, perhaps more openly. 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. It was 1961 when the humble little people-mover fell into the hands of British racing legend John Cooper. During 1956 Issigonis concentrated on the larger two cars, producing several prototypes for testing. Red: Yeah, its mine. info@oxbotica.com +44 (0)1865 433 998. Oxbotica Toronto Office. My appreciation of Issigonis designs really came when Auntie Merle traded her Austin A30 (horrible car) for a Morris 1100. Brilliant cars! By early 1957, prototypes were running, and by mid-1957 the project was given an official drawing office project number (ADO15) so that the thousands of drawings required for production could be produced. 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. A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF THE MINI FOUNDER. Alec Issigonis: straight from a family thrilled by technology. He inherited his great interest in technology and machines from his father who, shortly after the turn . 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. That Alvis is one of those missed opportunities that ultimately doomed the company. During this time he started to build a special sprint racer with a friend. Alec Issigoniss birth sign is Scorpio and he had a ruling planet of Pluto. It was through his mother's kinships that Issigonis was a first cousin once removed to BMW and Volkswagen director Bernd Pischetsrieder.[5]. . Back the early 2,000 B.C. Here in Australia they didnt seem particularly small, but they were certainly a lot more roomy than the competition. 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. In 1957, Issigonis received the project that would make him famous. People born under this sign are seen as warm-hearted and easygoing. The childhood . It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. Enter the length or pattern for better results. If so, that would seem vindictive on Days part. Again,Issigonis was able to get close to some of the most impressive cars of the era, and take ideas and influences home. An engineering genius and godfather of of the Mini. 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. In 1936, he moved to Morris Motors Limited at Cowley working on an independent front suspension system for the Morris 10. THE CREATOR OF AN ICONIC CAR: ALEC ISSIGONIS. Issigonis was born in Smyrna in 1906. Sir Alec Issigonis. This prototype never saw the light of day mores the pity. Alecs father, Constantine Issigonis, who was born in Smyrna in 1872, studied in England, and subsequently returned to Smyrna, keeping the engineering business going through the First World War and maintaining his British citizenship. We will continue to update information on Alec Issigoniss parents. It did not have everything Issigonis wanted, as he originally planned this car to have a V4 engine rather than the BMC A series. Ruling Planet: Alec Issigonis had a ruling planet of Pluto and has a ruling planet of Pluto. The car was launched at the 1948 London Motor Show, alongside the Land Rover and Jaguar XK120, and the rest is pure CC history. Alexandros Arnold Constantine Issigonis, more commonly known as Alec Issigionis, was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, on November 18, 1906. 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? It was, though, used on the postwar MG Y Type saloons. Proslavil se zejmna nvrhem vozu Mini, kter uvedla na trh British Motor Corporation v . 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. The above photo is a publicity shot with the first produced Mini, at his retirement in 1972. with 8 letters was last seen on the March 01, 2023.We found 20 possible solutions for this clue. Enter the length or pattern for better results. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). All Rights Reserved. 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. I saw about 3 Americas in the wild that I can remember, and 1 example of the earlier MG 1100 Sport Sedan. Issigonis was probably privately satisfied with that arrangement, as it took him away from the daily grind of corporate management and designing production ready cars and back into the more conceptual field where he had the opportunity to use his innovative skills the kind of role Leonard Lord had originally given him twelve years earlier and which led to the Mini and the ADO16. The relationship got to the point where Issigonis had the ideas, did the sketches and Daniels did the formal drawings. It did get Hydrolastic eventually, then lose it again. Alec Issigonis Related Authors Vivienne Westwood Quotes Virgil Abloh Quotes Coco Chanel Quotes Carroll Shelby Quotes Post FROM OUR MIDLAND CORRESPONDENT BIRMINGHAM, Nov. 13 The name of the man who will head the British Motor Corporations new amalgamated design unit when []. 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. As you know I was away when the little ceremony took place to mark your retirement and I have, of [], Sir Alec Issigonis, designer of the Mini, among other cars, is to remain design consultant with British Leyland after he goes into semi-retirement at the end of the month. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis CBE FRS RDI (18 November 1906 - 2 October 1988) was a Greek automotive designer. BMC was producing over 11,000 Issigonis-designed front-wheel-drive models a week, with demand still exceeding production, which was continually increased. After briefly working elsewhere in the early 1950s, Issigonis returned to what had become the British Motor Corp., where in 1959, in response to the Suez energy crisis (1956) and the popularity of Germanys Volkswagen Beetle, he introduced the Mini. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). Mr. Front-Wheel Drive: Sir Alec Issigonis . 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. He persisted in this into the 1980s, competing in vain against the Austin Metro, an improved version of the BMC A series engine and seemingly oblivious to the Companys financial state. In 1956, the focus was shifted towards a new economy car and from here, the Mini was born in 1959. On October 2, 1988, he passed . There was a long drive way that ran along the school cafeteria that parents used to drop off students in the morning. Issigonis was knighted in 1968, 1955 Morris Minor: Britains Favorite Car Bar None, And Rightly So, Austin Seven (Mini): The Future Started Here. 8050 Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX4 2HW. Issigonis (standing) with the special at Shelsey Walsh hillclimb. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. [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. However, there was more to his life than just one car. He was retired from British Leyland in 1971, memorably being given a Meccano kit for his leaving present. [3][6] His father died shortly after and Issigonis and his mother moved to the United Kingdom in 1923. *27/02/01 The new Mini which will go on sale in the UK summer 2001, was , being unveiled for the first time. And Alec Issigonis? ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. Youre right about maintenance. During the war, Morris Motors undertook military work, notably the development of the Morris lightweight reconnaissance vehicle for the War Department. The all-new Mini will be revealed today, on what would have been Mini creator Sir Alec Issigonis's 107th birthday. Alecs education details are not available at this time. As a person whos worked as a CAD drafter for 24 years, I wonder what his objection to CAD was. 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. The original Minor design was so narrow they had to chop it lengthways and widen it. Striving to ensure that as much space as possible was allocated to the passengers, Issigonis used Moultons compact rubber suspension and had Dunlop build 10 inch wheels and tyres just for the Mini purely for reasons of space efficiency. Sixty years ago today . Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis (Greek: , )CBE FRS RDI (18 November 1906 2 October 1988) was a British-Greek automotive designer. 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. . The end of the agreement came in 1986, when Issigonis wrote directly to Graham Day, BLs then new Chairman. Issigonis's mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. Moultons hydrolastic suspension as installed on the BMC ADO16 by Issigonis. File nella categoria "Alec Issigonis" Questa categoria contiene 5 file, indicati di seguito, su un totale di 5. Issigonis then went back to the British Motor Corporation, where the influence of many political factors led him to his major breakthrough. An amazing man, and someone who would probably never rise to prominence in todays auto industry. The Mini was designed by. Your article sure did him justice; thank you, Roger. Issigonis's mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery.