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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 war years were spent. Issigonis had a reputation, deserved by all accounts, for arrogance and irascibility, an inability to suffer fools at all, and restricted his contact to as a small as a group as he could. 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. Are you sure Renault had transverse-engine hatchbacks by 1974? I was amazed at the amount of space in that car you could even hide things in the cubbyhole under the rear seat. His father, however, did not survive the crossing. Alec Issigoniss mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. 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. Oak placed another engineer, Jack Daniels, alongside him to keep his feet on the ground. 41 Copy quote. Sir Alec Issigonis - Motoring Weekly Issigonis quickly arranged for Jack Daniels to move up from Cowley to Longbridge to rebuild their close rapport. Noch ein Mini (A Mini! Sir Alec Issigonis | Autopedia | Fandom George Harriman, Leonard Lord and Alec Issogonis. 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. Alec's grandfather Demosthenis migrated to Smyrna from the Greek island of Paros in the 1830s. Zodiac Sign: Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio. THE CREATOR OF AN ICONIC CAR: ALEC ISSIGONIS. Copyright 2011 - 2023 Curbside Classics. Issigonis had also been involved in the larger Oxford, Isis and Wolseley ranges. Issigonis became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1967 and was knighted in 1969. Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. He was a complex man, with a complex background, family story and career. info@oxbotica.com +44 (0)1865 433 998. Decades later, despite enormous further developments, the vehicle has lost none of its initial charm. Harris Mann, having a clean sheet, not giving the Allegro or Princess a hatch in the mid 70s is another matter. In 1961, with the Mini gaining popularity, Issigonis was promoted to Technical Director of BMC. Constantine was very proud of his British citizenship and Alec grew up in a traditional British type of household. This car was remarkably light, weighing 587lb, of which the engine contributed 252lb. [], 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. The greatest overall compatibility with Scorpio is Taurus and Cancer. Issigonis legacy - Education It certainly appeared by the Maxi development era that Issigonis wanted to "do his own thing" as cost cutting and development costs spiraled. For Alec Issigonis it was THE chance to prove himself. 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. It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. 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. 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. 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. And the 1800 the rear seat really seemed limousine-like for the size of the car. Back in 1980 a friends father of mine who was a MP sergeant owned a then new Mini Cooper 1275 cc. 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. There he witnessed the awe inspiring (and Nazi funded) Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix cars, as well as the Alfa Romeo P3 of Nuvolari, which won the race, much to the Nazis discomfort. 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. Alec Issigonis - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia But back in the day, young UK petrolheads had the time of our lives with Minis, modified in countless ways, rocketing around on twisty English roads, and in weekend motorsports. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio and was born in the G.I. He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. Issigonis was born on 18 November 1906 in the Ottoman port city of Smyrna, the only child of Constantine Issigonis and Hulda Prokopp. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek city of Smyrna (now zmir) in the Ottoman Empire. 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. [17], Learn how and when to remove this template message, 1938 Issigonis Lightweight Special at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, "The creator of an iconic car: Alec Issigonis", "The Genuine MOKE | Steer clear of imitations | Story", "Pre de l'Austin "Mini" Alec Issigonis est mort", "Review of 'The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Design Since 1900 (2nd edition)', "Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis. August 26, 2019. I saw about 3 Americas in the wild that I can remember, and 1 example of the earlier MG 1100 Sport Sedan. People : Sir Alec Issigonis - AROnline On 15 October 2006 a rally was held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England, to celebrate the centenary of Issigonis's birth. 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. 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. 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. with 8 letters was last seen on the March 01, 2023.We found 20 possible solutions for this clue. I got to drive his Red mini when I went for fish and chips on a Friday. 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. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Maybe because theyd lost the Issigonis chassis manners? SOL 258H is the oldest surviving gearless car and was the preferred transport of Sir Alex Issigonis. File nella categoria "Alec Issigonis" Questa categoria contiene 5 file, indicati di seguito, su un totale di 5. 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. Proslavil se zejmna nvrhem vozu Mini, kter uvedla na trh British Motor Corporation v . 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. https://www.mini.com/ Discover what happened on this day. Required fields are marked *. 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. Dr.Ing. Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. Below are all possible answers to this clue ordered by its rank. 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. 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. 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. Then of course there was severe corrosion in the face of road salt. Therefore, when Alec's father, Constantine Issigonis, was born in Smyrna in 1872, he was also a British national. No wonder Issigonis felt flattered I feel very, very proud that so many people have copied me.. - Wikipedia 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. Most events he entered were sprints and hillclimbs, but he also competed in some circuit races. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. It was through his mother's kinships that Issigonis was a first cousin once removed to BMW and Volkswagen director Bernd Pischetsrieder.[5]. An engineering genius and godfather of of the Mini. Speaking of steering, one of the earlier reviews of the Mini contained the sentence, This is the first car Ive driven that caused me to laugh out loud just going around a corner ! Or words to that effect . . The mini leaked like a sieve because of the way hed designed the sills and had to be redesigned. He [], DAILY EXPRESS By David Benson Harry Webster is a quiet, unassuming, generous man of 54. PDF SIR ALEC ISSIGONIS was an automobile engineer whose name will always be Biography: Sir ALEC issigonis - The designer of Britain's favourite cars, Britain's favourite car designer . 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) He was a race car driver during the 30's and 40's. Issgoniss retirement, with George Turnbull, then Managing Director of Austin-Morris. Issigonis showed little interest in things mechanical until he was well into his teens, not riding in a car until he was 14 years old, and was seemingly more interested in art, under the strong influence of his mother. But it was an exciting period, and youve captured his personality and lasting impact well. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS terkenal kerana menjadi pencipta kereta Mini yang menjadi ikon tahun 1960-an. 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. 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. 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. 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. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . My Family's Cars and Industry Pivots: Transverse Mounted Front Wheel Drive As a Morris Minor owner I appreciated it . Youre right about maintenance. Sir Alec Constantine Issigonis: The Greek Designer Of The Famous Mini He was involved in engine design as well, requesting unsuccessfully that BL build 4 and 6 cylinder engines for Mini variants. This isnt 1942. In conjunction with Issigonis work, Lord contracted Pininfarina to lead the styling of BMCs new cars, starting with the conventionally engineered Austin A40 Farina in 1958. A flawed genius, yes, and BMCs failure to manage him is clear. Chrysler also took a licence to manufacture the device, which was an integral part of their pioneering overdrive in 1934. Learn more. This post and its visuals and videos explains this pivotal vector of the international industry with such clarity and depth. But his true interest was in the 9X and its power unit, and getting a version of it accepted by BL. O interesse pelo automvel veio aos 12 anos, quando ele viu um pela primeira vez. A testament to brilliant design or to the modern industrys tendencies towards aversion of risk, I wont say surely some of both. 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 mother was Bavarian, the daughter of a brewer. Sir Alec Issigonis was one of the automotive industrys great independent thinkers. He managed to obtain his Diploma, but was not admitted to advanced studies. What a great, nicely balanced piece about the ever-controversial Sir Alec, and his equally controversial designs. I was mesmerized and I saw my schoolmate being dropped off by his older brother who was on his way to high school. 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. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis ( 18. listopadu 1906 Smyrna - 2. jna 1988 Birmingham) byl ecko - britsk automobilov konstruktr narozen na zem dnenho Turecka. Sketch by the late Sir Alec Issigonis, of the original Morris Minor, circa 1946. Stooping just under six feet in height, he looms large at any [], By GEOFFREY CHARLES, Motoring Correspondent A high-level reshuffle of BMC directors areas of responsibility was announced yesterday as part of a streamlining process before completion of the BMH-Leyland merger. You probably know the part about Alec Issigonis being born in the Greek city of Smyrna in 1906, being evacuated to Malta in 1922 following the Turkish invasion, and how he moved to London in 1923 to study engineering. A series engine, with gearbox beneath and side mounted radiator. Mr. Front-Wheel Drive: Sir Alec Issigonis - Academia.edu ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. The original plan called for a large family car by 1960, to be followed by a smaller car and then a city car. 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. Noch ein Mini! In response to the Suez Oil Crisis, British Motor Company asked Issigonis to head the development of a small, fuel-efficient car that would become the Morris Mini. He was flattered to be copied, though. I tell you the last time I was that close to a Japanese machine, it was shooting at me.. Issigonis, Alec - Hellenism.Net A British citizen born in Turkey in 1906, Issigonis did not see an automobile until he was 12 years old. Alec Issigonis, technical director of the British Motor Corporation and Charles Griffin, chief engineer, answer questions from our technical editor. 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. Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Horse. I love the comment made by Red Foreman on That 70s Show when asked about the Toyota Corolla he had recently purchased due to the gas crisis: Bob: Red, a Toyota? This car basically took the Mini concept and enlarged it by 20%, adding some experience, and ambition, at the same time. 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? Production only finished after BMW had bailed out of Rover in 2000. Alec Issigonis was born in Turkey. It was a very ambitious intention, which Alvis were not capable of delivering on without importing a lot of engineering talent. He and Frank Stephenson are both famous car designers. The 1100 and later 1300 outsold the Mini by a considerable margin and remained Britains best-selling car right through the 1960s. 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! Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek community of Smyrnain Ottoman Turkey. In October, 1957, just eight months after first putting pen to paper, the first prototypes were on the road. 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. Cooper took the prototype out for a spin and realised this fuel-saving people's car cornered like no other. 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. 1925 . This strong streak of fierce independence and lack of compromise hid his lateral approach to the design and engineering of cars. This would have been in the early 70s when they were literally everywhere. Issigonis' first cousin once removed was Bernd Pischetsreider, responsible . His mother was from Bavaria. Austin 1800 (ADO18 Landcrab): Best In Class Or Just Plain Ugly? 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. Enter the length or pattern for better results. Great write about a very clever guy, but he was wrong an uncomfortable driver is an irritable driver who fatigues rather more quickly, The Landcrab while being comfortable to ride in as a passenger is not so nice to drive nor are the smaller cars from BMC, there are many surviving ADO16s here and NZ is still the Morris Minor capital of the world they will never become rare here and for that matter neither will real Minis but 1800s and Maxis are quite thin on the ground already yet were popular new they werent very durable though, and the last Princess Ive seen is a rusty example outside the British car museum at Te Awanga, Personally having driven all his ideas the Morris Minor was his best one that saw production, I got my first car licence in a Morry Thou. In 1928 his first job was in the design office of Gillett, an engineering firm in London. Issigonis - Hero or Villain? | ViaRETRO Sort By: Better Essays. Issigonis's mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. Looking at the Minor or the Mini, I can believe that. Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Cyber Sales Event Jewelry & Accessories Clothing & Shoes