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) 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. [13], He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1967. Vic Oak and Reginald Hanks, Morriss Managing Director did though, arranging a 50% salary increase for Issigonis in April 1948, to 1500 per year. Nearly $1900 was pretty stiff pricing for a car that size in the mid 60s, $150 more than a Bug. Alec is also well known as, British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. So Sir Alec Issigonis had an impact on my life. 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 . I fist saw a Mini on my way to middle school in 1965. Issigonis was a good packaging designer. He didnt give a damn about the poor sods who had to work on his cars. 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. Ive never been inside a Landcrab or a Maxi, but I understand that while they are very spacious, the ergonomics are pretty poor. Mr. Front-Wheel Drive: Sir Alec Issigonis . Alec Issigonis. He was a race car driver during the 30s and 40s. He was also responsible for the development of the Mini Moke, initially intended for military use, though it subsequently became another popular icon of British automotive engineering that, like the Mini, attained cult status. Bernd Peter Pischetsrieder. 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. Dear Mr Day I have not met you but I feel I must write to explain a few points. I wonder if he was to blame for the Mini never having a hatchback, or a more softly suspended version? But accounts do suggest it done in a pretty crass way. Production only finished after BMW had bailed out of Rover in 2000. And Alec Issigonis? I dont have any great memories of the Mini to share, though you saw them everywhere. He was involved in engine design as well, requesting unsuccessfully that BL build 4 and 6 cylinder engines for Mini variants. His love/hate relationship with the companys products stayed with []. View 6 Images. Most events entered were sprints, but he also raced at circuits. Issigonis was to use Moultons suspension ideas on all his future cars, with Moulton working in a consultancy capacity to BMC. The Landcrab and Maxi were so butt ugly that no self respecting petrolhead would be seen it one. 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. Issigonis was knighted in 1968, 1955 Morris Minor: Britains Favorite Car Bar None, And Rightly So, Austin Seven (Mini): The Future Started Here. Morris Minor 1000s , Dropheads, Travelers , Panel Van, and Pick up trucks. 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. But there were other 20th century cataclysms that he lived and worked through as a designer - including the Suez crisis of 1956. Suffice to say it was an ambitious project for a family of compact cars - the smaller of the pair shorter overall than . Issigonis planned two versions, known as the TA/350 with a 3.5 litre V8 and TA/175 with a 1750cc, V4 engine. [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). Alec Issigonis Related Authors Vivienne Westwood Quotes Virgil Abloh Quotes Coco Chanel Quotes Carroll Shelby Quotes Issigonis and Dowson then travelled into Austria to the mountain climb competition at the then new Grossglockner Hochalpen Pass. By the time the chassis had been completed, Issigonis had somehow got hold of an Austin supplied works specification supercharged side-valve engine as well. [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. Due to time pressures, the interconnected suspension system that Issigonis had planned for the car was replaced by an equally novel, but cruder, rubber cone system designed by Alex Moulton. It was one of the first days of the new school year early September and I was walking up the sidewalk and turning the corner to head for the campus. If only it had had more power and better gearing. Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death and commemorations 4 Some of his cars 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. It is arguably doubtful that Lord, knowing Issigonis better, would have seen him as the ideal candidate for the overall technical leadership of BMC. Was it to be water or air cooled? In 1961, a shipload of Minis suffered mild water damage on their journey to the east coast of US. 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. Thanks for a wonderfully researched article! Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. Even more significantly, it effectively defined the configuration of the small and medium car for the next 50 years. He was appointed to this post by Lords successor, Sir George Harriman, who was even more in awe of him than Lord was, but also was even more unable to control and guide Issigonis. I remember being quite put off by the sound of the engine seemingly racing to maintain 45mph. . Copyright 2023. 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. They represent many years of design study in attempts to produce the best value for money in the field of small car design. While the intention was for the space efficient FWD cars to replace much of the existing overlapping BMC range (that all should have been hatchbacks in retrospect), it would have been interesting to see a rear-wheel drive Cortina rival with fully-independent suspension derived from Issigoniss work at Alvis to slot between the 1100/1300 and 1800/2200. 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. https://www.mini.com/ I was amazed at the amount of space in that car you could even hide things in the cubbyhole under the rear seat. Issigonis 'response was dry and forceful:'I'm an engineer. John Daly, Your email address will not be published. For his accomplishments, Queen Elizabeth knighted Issigonis in 1969. On his side, Issigonis built a large model railway in the double garage that ran out through the walls and around the garden. Thanks for the great article. Yes, it ran like hell when operable as the owner treated it like an Army Jeep. * Commander of the British Empire (1964), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (1967), Royal Designer for Industry (1964). Professor Alex Moulton. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. During 1967, Sir Alec Issigonis approached his BMH* superiors, asking to be temporarily relieved of day to day duties so that he could devote himself to a new vehicle project, one intended to directly replace the Mini. Alec Issigonis was born in Turkey. If (and I have no evidence and make no suggestions) a young Issigonis had been outed in, say, the early 1950s, his career progression would likely have been ended even, without any prosecution. [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. He continued to be responsible for his original XC projects. Ford clinging to the T too long was the same sort of corporate inertia that had VW clinging to the Bug too long. All Rights Reserved. Therefore some functionality is missing. His mother was from Bavaria. The car, as developed in a prototype form, showed potential as well as technical ambition the cars unitary construction made it relatively light and strong, it offered 6 seats, had a rear mounted transaxle, including the clutch, inboard rear brakes, long wheelbase configuration so typical of Issigonis and a modern, sophisticated 3.5 litre V8 engine. Constantine was very proud of his British citizenship and Alec grew up in a traditional British type of household. 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 . 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. 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. 8050 Alec Issigonis Way, Oxford Business Park North, Oxford, United Kingdom, OX4 2HW. [3][6] His father died shortly after and Issigonis and his mother moved to the United Kingdom in 1923. Issigonis returned to BMC to design a range of family vehicles. 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. Issigonis designed a unitary construction saloon and the V8 engine, and utilised Moultons latest interconnected rubber suspension. He was born on November 18, 1906 and his birthplace is Turkey. That Alvis is one of those missed opportunities that ultimately doomed the company. The gearbox sharing the sump oil worked ok, but the transmission absolutely pulverised the lubricating qualities out of the oil, and it really required changing every 3000 miles if you wanted the thing to last. Apparently Walter Chrysler could also be difficult to work with. Alec Issigonis was born in 1900s. (The Maxi, by comparison, was a bland lump.). He [], DAILY EXPRESS By David Benson Harry Webster is a quiet, unassuming, generous man of 54. As a person whos worked as a CAD drafter for 24 years, I wonder what his objection to CAD was. No wonder Issigonis felt flattered I feel very, very proud that so many people have copied me.. Sir Alec Issigonis: an insight into the great man, from an interview originally published in Autocar magazine to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the launch of the Mini. 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. Below are all possible answers to this clue ordered by its rank. He took advantage of other peoples suspension designs, Moultons rubber cones and the isolastic, as they freed up more space. On 15 October 2006 a rally was held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England, to celebrate the centenary of Issigonis's birth. Issigonis had also been involved in the larger Oxford, Isis and Wolseley ranges. The boxy, inexpensive, fuel-efficient Mini used a transverse engine to power its front wheelsa radical design at the timeand thus could comfortably seat four passengers despite being only 10 feet (3 m) long. He was reluctant to consider features such as large boots or hatchbacks, or engine access, as important. It was created in response to a crisis and was a genius piece of packaging which will forever be Sir Alec Issigonis legacy to the automotive world. An amazing man, and someone who would probably never rise to prominence in todays auto industry. The Mini went on to become the best selling British car in history with a production run of 5.3million cars. 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. . Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Alec Issigonis, technical director of the British Motor Corporation and Charles Griffin, chief engineer, answer questions from our technical editor. Engine access on the Mini was very awkward, and this was only improved on the ADO16 because Jack Daniels was able to keep Issigonis away from the detail work, which was largely done at Cowley in Oxford rather than Longbridge. There was no radio fitted as he thought it would distract the driver. At the end of 1955, Issigonis moved to BMC to head up the development of the corporations new family of cars. And the result was the creation of more than just an economical car. Sort By: Better Essays. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Fascinating piece and what a character! Another Mini! Born in Turkey, Issigonis come to England as a teenager. Not sure how true it is, but I read somewhere that he even designed the ashtrays for the Minor. My appreciation of Issigonis designs really came when Auntie Merle traded her Austin A30 (horrible car) for a Morris 1100. A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF THE MINI FOUNDER. By the mid 1970s, Issigonis was beginning suffer from Menieres disease, and the consequent loss of full control of his balance let him to retreat from prominence. Alexandros Arnold Constantine Issigonis, more commonly known as Alec Issigionis, was born in Smyrna, Asia Minor, on November 18, 1906. Alec Issigonis: straight from a family thrilled by technology. 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. He was popular for being a Entrepreneur. Alec Issigonis The public don't know what they want; it's my job to tell them. Plenty of space and comfort in the back, as I recall, but my fathers Rover P6 was much more stylish. 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. Therefore, when Alec's father, Constantine Issigonis, was born in Smyrna in 1872, he was also a British national. [4] It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. Maybe it takes that sort of single-mindedness, bordering on obsession, to create something different, get it into production in spite of obstacles and naysayers, and make it a success. Lords instruction was the one Issigonis had been waiting for, and he quickly developed the first Mini prototype. [citation needed] He considered it to be a vehicle that combined many of the luxuries and conveniences of a good motor car with a price suitable for the working classes in contrast to the Mini which was a spartan mode of conveyance with everything cut to the bone. 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. [7] This ground-breaking design, with its front wheel drive, transverse engine, sump gearbox, 10-inch wheels, and phenomenal space efficiency, was still being manufactured in 2000 and has been the inspiration for almost all small front-wheel drive cars produced since the early 1960s. 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

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