alec issigonis family

His father Constantine Issigonis was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from Paros. 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. In 1936, Issigonis moved again, to the Morris Motor Company, as a project engineer on an independent front suspension system for the Morris 10, where his experience at Rootes would start to bear fruit. 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. Giving the Mini, ADO16 and ADO17 were all designed well before hatchbacks were popular, the beancounters no doubt would be up in arms at the thought of spending more money on tooling for an already old design. British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. Issigonis would work on the 9X programme, which included a replacement Mini and a new and innovative gearless transmission system. Nearly $1900 was pretty stiff pricing for a car that size in the mid 60s, $150 more than a Bug. [12], In 1964 Issigonis was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI). I wanted to know the genesis. He was knighted in 1969 and was honored by the city of Oxford with a street named after him, Alec Issigonis Way. The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. But the story begins even further back, with a man named Demosthenis, Alec's grandfather, who emigrated from Greece to Asia-Minor in the 1830s and worked for the Smyrna-Aydn Railway. By 1938, Issigonis was lead engineer for steering and suspension for all the Morris car range. There was a good reason for BMC selecting him for this task, for Issigonis was born in Izmir. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS (18 November 1906-2 October 1988) was a Greek-British designer of cars, now remembered chiefly for the groundbreaking and influential development of the Mini, launched by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1959. 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. Sir Alec Issigonis is best remembered for the Austin Mini - a car that revolutionised the small car package and probably saved the British Motor Corporation at the same time. 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. Issigoniss mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. An image from the 1964 Racing Car Show in the aftermath of the Mini's first Monte Carlo Rally win. In March 1957 Lord asked (more likely told, as Lord did not do asking) Issigonis to come up with something to compete with them. Perhaps it was a trait that ran in the family. Richard Bremneris well-known for being a highly-respected motoring scribe, but in his formative years, he worked in the employ of Austin-Rover. It was at Alvis that Issigonis first worked with another of the influential characters of his career. 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. On a cheerier note, Id love to see that Alvin on the flesh. Not sure how true it is, but I read somewhere that he even designed the ashtrays for the Minor. Issigonis had the dream of becoming an automobile engineer at an early age. He [], DAILY EXPRESS By David Benson Harry Webster is a quiet, unassuming, generous man of 54. [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). I wonder if he was to blame for the Mini never having a hatchback, or a more softly suspended version? [citation needed] Issigonis often commented to friends and colleagues that the Austin 1800 (ADO17) was the design he was most proud of, even though it never was as commercially successful as his three preceding designs. Like many famous people and celebrities, Alec Issigonis kept his personal life private. How about an uncomfortable driver is a distracted driver? 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. On his side, Issigonis built a large model railway in the double garage that ran out through the walls and around the garden. The first car to repeat the concept of the Mini was the ADO16, which is often considered to be Issigoniss finest hour. 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. 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? That is how many of us know about these cars or about many 1960s British cars, in general. Alec Issigonis It is much easier to drive without having an accident. Looking at the Minor or the Mini, I can believe that. Another Mini!). Prior to his death, Alec and his mother travelled overland to London. All Rights Reserved. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. 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. 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. 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 . Thank you very much for a wonderful biography. Who are the richest people in the world? 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 . ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. ADO15, 16 & 17 (36792752942).jpg 1 712 1 936; 589 KB I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . Kereta ini menjadi kereta popular di Britain dan banyak negara di dunia, di samping berjaya menjuarai Rali Monte Carlo sebanyak 3 kali. He was born in 1906 in a city that is now known as Izmir, in Turkey which itself can trace its . The floor is flat and low to the ground and windows all round make it seem very airy. At some point in the mid-60s they ran an After the New Wears Off feature by an MG 1100 owner in Los Angeles. 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. Sir Alec Issigonis was one of the automotive industry's great independent thinkers. He would instead research work on his Mini replacement the 9X with its compact transverse engine. Joseph Lowrey, MOTOR: As soon [], Mr Alec Issigoniss New B.M.C. Encouraged by the success of the Morris Minor, Issigonis continued his design work at Morris (including work on a replacement for the Minor with a transverse 4 cylinderengine with an endon gearbox) until the merger with the Austin in 1952 to form BMC. But, as ever, events intervened in this case the Suez Crisis of 1956, complete with petrol rationing. Issigoniss first project was to design an independent suspension for Rootes highest volume car, the Hillman Minx. We will continue to update information on Alec Issigoniss parents. . I dont have any great memories of the Mini to share, though you saw them everywhere. But there were other 20th century cataclysms that he lived and worked through as a designer - including the Suez crisis of 1956. Alec Issigonis, technical director of the British Motor Corporation and Charles Griffin, chief engineer, answer questions from our technical editor. 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 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. It was through his mother's kinships that Issigonis was a first cousin once removed to BMW and Volkswagen director Bernd Pischetsrieder.[5]. Issigonis 'response was dry and forceful:'I'm an engineer. By 1969 Fiat had also followed with the 128, and by 1974 Peugeot, VW and Renault had transverse engine hatchbacks as well. 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. Sticks in my mind I read a road test that put engine speed at 60 around 4,000rpm. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek city of Smyrna (now zmir) in the Ottoman Empire. Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. But fearful that his freedom would be curbed in such a large company, Issigonis resigned from BMC and went to work for the much smaller Alvis company. He was impossible to work with, had Henry Fords arrogance and nearly bankrupted the company like Ford, by refusing to listen to anyone. Ive often wondered how its 35 horses managed the Berkshires . 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. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. 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. But beneath this surface, he was a sensitive and more vulnerable person, and was almost certainly (and inexcusably) the subject of some intolerance and prejudice from the UK born staff. A flawed genius, yes, and BMCs failure to manage him is clear. Issigonis also devised a compact suspension system made of rubber cones instead of springs to keep the wheel wells from intruding into the passenger compartment. 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 []. Lord Alfred Robens , Chairman of the National Coal Board, wearing cap and gown as he is installed as the new Chancellor of the University of . The last sighting was of a 71 America, in 81, and looking very well cared for. Sir Alec Constantine Issigonis, born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire on November 18, 1906, is famous for designing the beloved Mini Cooper motor car. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alec-Issigonis. Alec Issigonis was born in 1900s. 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. [16], In 2003 he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in the United States. Omissions? They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. But accounts do suggest it done in a pretty crass way. However, there was more to his life than just one car. He remained on the BL books as a consultant until 1988, shortly before his death. Issigonis never had any input into MG sports cars or the large, rear drive saloons BMC were still building the late 1960s, and the Austin 3 Litre, based on Issigoniss Austin 1800 was driven by George Harriman. He title at Alvis was Engineer in charge of passenger car design. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. Sir Alec Issigonis ( 1906-1988 ) was an exceptional car designer who is best known for his development of the Mini.He was born in Smyrna ( Izmir ) in Turkey, the son of British-Greek parents. Happy birthday to the Mini! This prototype never saw the light of day mores the pity. . 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. I do not know how many I have owned Morrises, Austins and MGs. [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. The Minor, Mini, ADO16 and Landcrab all had character, and were all friendly cars. Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world? His mother was from Bavaria. As a matter of interest, go to this site: and click on the Letter From Dr. Alex Moulton link. Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. He worked on various projects for Morris through the war and towards its end started work on an advanced post war car codenamed Mosquito that became the Morris Minor, which was produced from 1948 until 1971. Constantine studied in England. I have liked them ever since. Most events he entered were sprints and hillclimbs, but he also competed in some circuit races. When we stopped sending children up chimneys we reemployed them to work or minis. 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 nasceu na Turquia Filho de um grego naturalizado britnico casado com uma turca. It was apparent to Morriss senior managers that Issigonis was cut from a different cloth compared to his contemporaries. If only it had had more power and better gearing. 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. Issigonis studied engineering at Battersea Polytechnic in London. A reliable car with excellent steering and cornering qualities, it was the first all-British car to pass the one million mark in sales; surviving models are still cherished by owners and collectors. . The son of a Greek merchant, Issigonis immigrated to London in 1922 during the war between Greece and Turkey. 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. Thanks for the great article. My doodles and sketches are not the work of an academic engineer. 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 . Sir Alec Issigonis. To clarify, the Renault 4, 5 (first generation, Le Car), 6 and 16 all had longitudinally mounted engines. He was also referred to as the Greek God, perhaps more openly. Moulton also designed folding, rubber suspended small-wheeled bicycles. Enter your username or email to reset your password. When he officially retired from BLMC in November 1971, Issigonis was retained by BLMC on an exclusive consultancy agreement, signed off by and reporting to the Chairman, Donald Stokes. The loss of British sovereignty led not only to a political defeat but also to an oil crisis. Apparently Walter Chrysler could also be difficult to work with. Manual transmissions seemed to hold up ok,lasting at least as long as the engine. Nkter data mohou pochzet z datov poloky. 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. 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. Even more significantly, it effectively defined the configuration of the small and medium car for the next 50 years. During the war, Morris Motors undertook military work, notably the development of the Morris lightweight reconnaissance vehicle for the War Department. 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. Daniels effectively resumed his position as Issigoniss right hand man for the next ten years or more, guiding the interpretation of Issigoniss requests to the workshops, draughtsmen, production engineers and accountants. 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. BL were in thrall of the myth theyd created, but the buying public had much more sense. Yes, it ran like hell when operable as the owner treated it like an Army Jeep. The typical American indifference to regular maintenance did not play well with this setup. The Automotive Hall of Fame. 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. 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. 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. 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 . 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. 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. In the face of all this mayhem, Mrs. Issigonis decided to migrate with Alex to Britain, a land neither knew. Alecs education details are not available at this time. [9] He was cremated at the Lodge Hill Cemetery in nearby Selly Oak. People born under this sign are seen as warm-hearted and easygoing. FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. 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. His love/hate relationship with the companys products stayed with []. Unfortunately I didnt turn out quite as brilliant, but I like to think I missed out some of the stubbornness/arrogance as well. BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. Essay on The Pure Voice in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. 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. Durante o curso ele foi reprovado trs vezes em matemtica. 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. In 1969, in recognition of his engineering genius, Queen Elizabeth granted him Knighthood. All Rights Reserved. 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. Corrections? I dont remember Dad as being what youd call a sporting driver, but he never considered the later Austin-based Oxfords. Sir Alec Issigonis celebrates one of the many milestones of the Mini dynasty. 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 . Austin 1800 (ADO18 Landcrab): Best In Class Or Just Plain Ugly? In August 1959 the car was launched as the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven, which soon became known as the Austin Mini. Alec's mother, Hulda Prokopp, could trace her origins back to Wrttemberg (now part of Germany). I saw that same car several times, so, at least in nice weather, it apparently was a daily driver. He didnt say by 1974 in regard to VW and Renault. Gillett was developing a freewheel device for use on cars, partly as a refinement and fuel economy device, and partly to reduce the need for double declutching gearchanges in the pre-synchromesh era. It had one option an AM radio, hung below the dash. People over the road from us had a Wolseley Six (top of the range Landcrab) when we were kids. Issigonis actually sketched the Minis original design with a pencil on a tablecloth. [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. It didnt just raise the bar it kicked it into next week ! " Sir Alec Issigonis. Autokonstrukteur, GBPortrt mit Zigarette- 1959. There was no radio fitted as he thought it would distract the driver. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Issigonis usually won, even when entered in the 1100cc class if there was no 750cc category. 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. The Mini, and the other Issigonis BMC front wheel drive cars, benefited from Issigonis continuing collaboration with Alex Moulton and his suspension system developments. William Morris (Lord Nuffield) didnt like it, naming it the poached egg and expressed no appreciation of it to Issigonis, until 1951 when 100,000 cars had been built. with 8 letters was last seen on the March 01, 2023.We found 20 possible solutions for this clue. Issigonis planned two versions, known as the TA/350 with a 3.5 litre V8 and TA/175 with a 1750cc, V4 engine. Harris Mann, having a clean sheet, not giving the Allegro or Princess a hatch in the mid 70s is another matter.