Twitter; Oxbotica Toronto Office. MINI. When is Alec Issigoniss birthday? On a cheerier note, Id love to see that Alvin on the flesh. 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. [], 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. 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. Alec Issigonis and Dr Alex Moulton, the creator of Hydrolastic and Hydragas suspension, with a Morris 1100, circa 1962. 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. 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. 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? (I can remember seeing Austin Americas just a few years old being offered up for $50.) Alec Issigonis : The Man Who Made the Mini - books.google.com 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. Sir Alec Constantine Issigonis, born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire on November 18, 1906, is famous for designing the beloved Mini Cooper motor car. 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. [9] He was cremated at the Lodge Hill Cemetery in nearby Selly Oak. Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. Issigonis and his team produced a revolutionary car that featured a small exterior with a spacious passenger compartment and outstanding handling characteristics. It interested me as I had the honour of working with sir Alec for around 3 months. 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. . By October 1957, Issigonis had shown Lord a working prototype and the decision had been made to manufacture the car, using the existing BMC A series engine. His father, a successful and wealthy shipbuilding engineer, was of Greek origin but held a British passport. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. Alec Issigonis: straight from a family thrilled by technology. Another Mini! The first car I could identify was apparently a Mini and my mother still tells the story of an early trip to England where I wouldnt be quiet Ein Mini! * Commander of the British Empire (1964), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (1967), Royal Designer for Industry (1964). 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 . . However, there was more to his life than just one car. Humber were more interested in the sales engineer than his product, and Issigonis moved to Humber in 1933. And I myself have engineered a few things with the help of Jack Daniels . In March 1957 Lord asked (more likely told, as Lord did not do asking) Issigonis to come up with something to compete with them. Alec Issigonis | Bartleby Issigonis was excused service in the armed forces and remained at Cowley working on military vehicles of various types, including a very basic compact load carrier often described as a motorised wheelbarrow intended for use in jungle conditions together with an amphibious version designed for use by the Royal Navy. Bernd Peter Pischetsrieder. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). Tragically, Constantine Issigonis contracted a serious illness, and died in Malta in June 1923. 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. LJK Setright, in his book The Designers describes Issigonis as working as a sculptor works, moving masses into different juxtapositions until his trained eye told him they were right. Sir Alec Issigonis - Driven To Write 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. I appreciate the research the depth and the smooth writing style to present it all in a gripping way. [5]:277. In 1957, Issigonis received the project that would make him famous. Back the early 2,000 B.C. Issigonis (standing) with the special at Shelsey Walsh hillclimb. 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. I wanted to know the genesis. 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 . The suspension was also of advanced design, with trailing arm front suspension attached to a steel cross-member, and swing axle rear, all with rubber springs made of catapult elastic. 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. It was at Alvis that Issigonis first worked with another of the influential characters of his career. [12], In 1964 Issigonis was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI). This is the main reason Lord re-hired Issigonis. O interesse pelo automvel veio aos 12 anos, quando ele viu um pela primeira vez. Issigonis did observe and try to improve on what he saw, but always challenged himself to be original and better. Enter the length or pattern for better results. Alec Issigoniss mothers name is unknown at this time and his fathers name is under review. Unique. . I have liked them ever since. Alec Issigonis - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia [3][6] His father died shortly after and Issigonis and his mother moved to the United Kingdom in 1923. Demosthenis's son (Alec's father) Constantine Issigonis (Greek: ), was born, with British nationality, in Smyrna in 1872. 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. 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. However, as we all know, it was no profit-maker for BMC and, during its hyper-successful first decade on the market, its maker cruelly and criminally failed to develop the concept into something that the customers truly wanted a hatchback. Upon meeting Alec, she is shy and ashamed . However, at the end of 1956, following fuel rationing brought about by the Suez Crisis, Issigonis was ordered by Lord to bring the smaller car, XC/9003, to production as quickly as possible. Great article there should be a movie about Issigonis! Cooper took the prototype out for a spin and realised this fuel-saving people's car cornered like no other. Then of course there was severe corrosion in the face of road salt. Issigonis was giving punters what they needed, rather than what they wanted. I saw this tiny car among the Buicks Oldsmobiles Mercurys and Chevrolet Impalas that were the usual fare. Address 8050 Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford, OX4 2HW. He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. 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. In 1968, he was appointed as Director of Advanced Research of the newly formed British Leyland, and Harry Webster from Triumph became BLMCs Engineering Director. Dear Mr Day I have not met you but I feel I must write to explain a few points. His name? ADO15, 16 & 17 (36792752942).jpg 1 712 1 936; 589 KB the outer planets, Uranus and Neptune were not yet discovered, since the telescope had not yet been invented. TOP 8 QUOTES BY ALEC ISSIGONIS | A-Z Quotes If it was front engined, was it to be rear wheel or front wheel drive? It was through his mother's kinships that Issigonis was a first cousin once removed to BMW and Volkswagen director Bernd Pischetsrieder.[5]. 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. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. I hope he knew that he changed the Automobile World for the better. 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. body design expertise was by Italian firm Pininfarina. The big steering wheels angle was a bit bus-like though. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. It is arguably doubtful that Lord, knowing Issigonis better, would have seen him as the ideal candidate for the overall technical leadership of BMC. In 1961, with the Mini gaining popularity, Issigonis was promoted to Technical Director of BMC. This car basically took the Mini concept and enlarged it by 20%, adding some experience, and ambition, at the same time. In October, 1957, just eight months after first putting pen to paper, the first prototypes were on the road. And a rally demon was born. On 15 October 2006 a rally was held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England, to celebrate the centenary of Issigonis's birth. The Mini, and the other Issigonis BMC front wheel drive cars, benefited from Issigonis continuing collaboration with Alex Moulton and his suspension system developments. By 1945, a full scale static prototype close to the familiar production form was completed. During this time he started to build a special sprint racer with a friend. Maybe because theyd lost the Issigonis chassis manners? Comprehensive article. Diz lenda que ele considerava a rigidez . He was reluctant to consider features such as large boots or hatchbacks, or engine access, as important. The Minor was, of course, a huge success, for Nuffield and for Issigonis. Its practicality and affordability made it immediately popular; by the time of Issigonis death more than five million had been sold. A deeply flawed genius at best. Alec Issigonis - Wikipedia Below are all possible answers to this clue ordered by its rank. 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. He pressed the case, again, for the gearless 9X, complained about electronics in cars, designers using CAD systems and not slide rules, and changes in the model designations of the existing Mini. From 1925-1928 he studied engineering at Battersea Polytechnic in London. Biography: Sir Alec Issigonis - The Designer of Britain's Favourite Back in 1980 a friends father of mine who was a MP sergeant owned a then new Mini Cooper 1275 cc. 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. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. 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. 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. He was born on November 18, 1906 and his birthplace is Turkey. It was apparent to Morriss senior managers that Issigonis was cut from a different cloth compared to his contemporaries. Mini: a brief history - The Telegraph Who are the richest people in the world? The family is almost penniless. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. At some point in the mid-60s they ran an After the New Wears Off feature by an MG 1100 owner in Los Angeles. You serve us all wonderfully. Alec Issigonis - Trivia, Family, Bio | Famous Birthdays Found an ad for the US market 1100. His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis . German Engineer Who Designed And Built The First Practical Automobile (Crossword ClueThe crossword clue German engineer who designed and built the first practical automobile. 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. meantime, John preferred his psychedelic Rolls .. Roger, hats off for this excellent treatment of an engineering legend. The cars design with its front wheel drive and independent suspension provided good road handling, but Issigonis had scant regard for passenger comfort. His mother was from Bavaria. Alec Issigonis - Wikipdia, a enciclopdia livre info@oxbotica.com +44 (0)1865 433 998. Nkter data mohou pochzet z datov poloky. He failed his degree course but gained a diploma in Mechanical Engineering, at the third attempt, in 1928. The [], CARS AND DRIVERS by GEOFFREY CHARLES Whatever the outcome of the BMH-Leyland merger in model rationalization, intensified marketing or expansion-and any joint project will not appear for at least 3 [], MOTOR WHY IS THE ADO16? 37 Sir Alec Issigonis Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Where was the gearbox to be fitted on a front wheel drive car? [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. He was able to share his engineering and automotive interests, through frequent tours of Longbridge in the 1960s, with a first cousin once removed on his mothers side of his family, who later completed a mechanical engineering degree and followed a career in the motor industry. 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. Issigonis returned to BMC to design a range of family vehicles. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. 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. Issigonis was born on 18 November 1906 in the Ottoman port city of Smyrna, the only child of Constantine Issigonis and Hulda Prokopp. Styled by Pininfarina, it was launched as the Morris 1100 in 1962, and a year later as the Austin 1100, and the clean, classical lines of the car served BMC well. Autokonstrukteur, GBPortrt mit Zigarette- 1959. 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. He was involved in engine design as well, requesting unsuccessfully that BL build 4 and 6 cylinder engines for Mini variants. Shunning all offers of silver service with the management. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . Alec completed his education at an English boarding school, and in 1925, took a two month tour, by car, of Europe with his mother before returning to take a place at Battersea Polytechnic in south London, to study mechanical engineering. Biography: Sir ALEC issigonis - The designer of Britain's favourite cars, Britain's favourite car designer . MINI Revolutionary with the Drawing Pad - myAutoWorld.com A family that . Issigoniss legacy is undoubtedly best seen through his cars, from the Minor to the Maxi, which challenged conventions through engineering ingenuity. 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.