alec issigonis family

He title at Alvis was Engineer in charge of passenger car design. He said the engine was turning 4500 rpm at 68 mph and commented, This seems fast enough for an obsolete three-bearing long-stroke engine., Digging up the articles is left as an exercise for the student. By 1945, a full scale static prototype close to the familiar production form was completed. It interested me as I had the honour of working with sir Alec for around 3 months. The original plan called for a large family car by 1960, to be followed by a smaller car and then a city car. It certainly appeared by the Maxi development era that Issigonis wanted to "do his own thing" as cost cutting and development costs spiraled. Issigonis was to use Moultons suspension ideas on all his future cars, with Moulton working in a consultancy capacity to BMC. During 1956 Issigonis concentrated on the larger two cars, producing several prototypes for testing. . My appreciation of Issigonis designs really came when Auntie Merle traded her Austin A30 (horrible car) for a Morris 1100. Sixty years ago today . On October 2, 1988, he passed . The Mini went on to become the best selling British car in history with a production run of 5.3million cars. Looking at the Minor or the Mini, I can believe that. 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. Alexander Issigonis was born into the Greek community of Smyrna (now Izmir) in Ottoman Turkey. Alec's mother, Hulda Prokopp, could trace her origins back to Wrttemberg (now part of Germany). His father, however, did not survive the crossing. Issigonis was dismissive of market research, The public dont know what they want; its my job to tell them and even mathematics, derided as the enemy of every truly creative man. However, his story proves: never give up your dreams even if life puts obstacles in your way. I remember the Austin America when new, not an impressive car to me in any way . This post and its visuals and videos explains this pivotal vector of the international industry with such clarity and depth. In 1961, a shipload of Minis suffered mild water damage on their journey to the east coast of US. He did not want more conventional answers, without at least exploring some technical advances. 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 have labelled it the Most Significant Car of the 1940s; it is probably the most recognised British car, apart from the Mini, and the most fondly remembered car by many British families and motorists. Sir Alec Issigonis was one of the automotive industrys great independent thinkers. Omissions? 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. It was designed to follow on from the Mini and 1100 as the next generation . Although primarily a station car, my parents also took it on a vacation through New England. File nella categoria "Alec Issigonis" Questa categoria contiene 5 file, indicati di seguito, su un totale di 5. 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! If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. 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. Later, he was working on an independent suspension for the larger Humber Hawk, with another rising star in the industry, Bill Heynes. Alec Issigonis was a hugely . The first application of Sir Alec Issigonis' engineering breakthrough - All Photos by Randy Stern, except otherwise noted Remember Sir Alec Issigonis? The Mini, and the other Issigonis BMC front wheel drive cars, benefited from Issigonis continuing collaboration with Alex Moulton and his suspension system developments. 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. The Mini remains one of the most important motoring icons of the 1960s, so it's only natural that the band would want a piece of the action as Beatles mania took hold. 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. Another Mini! On 15 October 2006 a rally was held at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon, England, to celebrate the centenary of Issigonis's birth. After studying engineering, he joined Morris Motors in 1936 as a suspension designer. He would attend the usual motor shows, but often would refuse to look in detail at the competition, so he did not become confused. Durante o curso ele foi reprovado trs vezes em matemtica. The above photo is a publicity shot with the first produced Mini, at his retirement in 1972. IAN NICHOLLS recalls the day the two millionth rolled off the production line [], A team of the worlds leading motoring writers, along with voters on the internet, have short-listed the legendary Mini for the ultimate motoring accolade the international Car of the [], THE GUARDIAN Lord Stokes writes about the late Sir Alec Issigonis: Alec Issigonis was a very charming and persuasive person, and a brilliant innovative engineer with a considerable capacity for [], Rover Group consultant Sir Alec Issigonis writes to chairman Graham Day. Excellent article. This is the main reason Lord re-hired Issigonis. Daniels (right) and Sheppard (left), no doubt, had to smooth a few ruffled feathers on the way. Sir Alec Issigonis, in full Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, (born Nov. 18, 1906, Smyrna [now zmir], Tur.died Oct. 2, 1988, Birmingham, Eng. In 1936, he moved to Morris Motors Limited at Cowley working on an independent front suspension system for the Morris 10. 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. in there was a 1 hr "The Mini Man " -Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 by great friend and car fanatic Peter Ustinov. . Alec Issigonis, technical director of the British Motor Corporation and Charles Griffin, chief engineer, answer questions from our technical editor. My sister had an MG 1100 which blew me away in 1970. [], BMC changed the world with the launch of the Mini in 1959. 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. As a Morris Minor owner I appreciated it . 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. While much derided for its lack of style, I do love the huge smile he put on the front of the original 1800 Landcrab. I fist saw a Mini on my way to middle school in 1965. Harris Mann, having a clean sheet, not giving the Allegro or Princess a hatch in the mid 70s is another matter. 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. 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. Suffice to say it was an ambitious project for a family of compact cars - the smaller of the pair shorter overall than . 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. Sir Alec Issigonis. Born in Turkey, Issigonis come to England as a teenager. * Commander of the British Empire (1964), Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (1967), Royal Designer for Industry (1964). Alec Issigonis nasceu na Turquia Filho de um grego naturalizado britnico casado com uma turca. I thought I knew everything about Issigonis already, but there were some fascinating insights here. He was born on November 18, 1906 and his birthplace is Turkey. An image from the 1964 Racing Car Show in the aftermath of the Mini's first Monte Carlo Rally win. Ford clinging to the T too long was the same sort of corporate inertia that had VW clinging to the Bug too long. Issigoniss legacy is undoubtedly best seen through his cars, from the Minor to the Maxi, which challenged conventions through engineering ingenuity. The last sighting was of a 71 America, in 81, and looking very well cared for. 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. That name was now engraved in my mind and as I got older I was drawn to LBCs (Little British Cars.) In 1952, the year BMC was formed, he moved to Alvis where he designed an advanced saloon, and experimented with interconnected independent suspension systems. Alec Issigonis The public don't know what they want; it's my job to tell them. BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. They paid him to design a tractor safety cab after their own designers had 3 attempts and we built 3 failures. John Sheppard spent 20 years working with [], Richard Aucock 40 years ago this month, Sir Alec Issigonis, creator of Britains best-selling motoring icons, retired The creator of the original Mini, the Morris Minor, the Austin Maxi and [], Motor magazine, August 1962 WHY IS THE ADO16? I do not know how many I have owned Morrises, Austins and MGs. Issigonis name will always be associated with the Morris Minor, built for over 20 years, and with the Mini, a car he designed very quickly in the late 1950s and which was built for over 40 years, throughout the tumultuous history of BMC and BLMC, ending only after the BMW led break up of the Rover Group in 2000. BMC . For Alec Issigonis it was THE chance to prove himself. Thanks for the great article. I wouldnt say Day was offended but took it as evidence that Issigoniss time has passed and that the value Rover were getting from the consultancy was minimal, and it was effectively indulging Issigonis, something Turnbull and Donald Stokes could afford t0 do (and knew looked rational) in 1970. By 1939, Issigonis had replaced his modified Austin Seven with a more radical car of his own design, constructed of plywood laminated in aluminium sheeting, in what we would now call a composite construction. For many years he was known informally as Arragonis, and was either sufficiently confident in himself or sufficiently lacking in understanding to use that name himself on occasions. Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. 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? Below are all possible answers to this clue ordered by its rank. He excelled in mechanical drawing, but failed his mathematics exams three times. 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. At the age of 30 he worked for the Morris Engineering Department and celebrated his first success with the construction of the Morris Minor. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. Issigonis and his team produced a revolutionary car that featured a small exterior with a spacious passenger compartment and outstanding handling characteristics. Twitter; Im sure this was never part of Issigoniss plan, as he was anti-style, but only the 1100 benefited from external help. On his side, Issigonis built a large model railway in the double garage that ran out through the walls and around the garden. Fascinating lost papers from the man who created the Mini and the. Unique. Issigonis actually sketched the Minis original design with a pencil on a tablecloth. 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. Required fields are marked *. Unless it was at some very small, unique company; something like TVR comes to mind. It was through his mother's kinships that Issigonis was a first cousin once removed to BMW and Volkswagen director Bernd Pischetsrieder.[5]. Alec Issigonis: The Man Who Made the Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, 81; Designer of Minicar And Morris Minor. Kereta rekaannya, BMC Mini dilancarkan dalam tahun 1959. 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. Constantine was very proud of his British citizenship and Alec grew up in a traditional British type of household. 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 . Great article there should be a movie about Issigonis! [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. Alec Issigonis's mother was German, and it was on her side of the family that he was a first cousin once removed to automobile engineer and executive manager Bernd Pischetsrieder. Even as Britain entered the 1960s, product planning remained something of an alien concept to its native carmakers, the majority of whom viewed such matters as being the sort of recondite nonsense invented in the United States, and best left there. His efforts were concentrated on two things continuing to promote the 1968 9X concept to BLMC, and working on the concept of a gearless version of the Mini, using a torque converter, that was not a technical success. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek community of Smyrnain Ottoman Turkey. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). When Morris and Austin merged to form the British Motor Corporation in 1952, Issigonis decided to leave the company. And a rally demon was born. The Crossword Solver finds answers to classic crosswords and cryptic crossword puzzles. 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. Issigonis planned two versions, known as the TA/350 with a 3.5 litre V8 and TA/175 with a 1750cc, V4 engine. 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. Professor Alex Moulton. 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. Issigonis was knighted in 1968, 1955 Morris Minor: Britains Favorite Car Bar None, And Rightly So, Austin Seven (Mini): The Future Started Here. He designed the Mini, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and voted the second most influential car of the 20th century in 1999. Mr. Front-Wheel Drive: Sir Alec Issigonis . Family Life His father died in 1922, at which point he and his mother moved to the U.K.. Associated With He and Frank Stephenson are both famous car designers. Issigonis then went back to the British Motor Corporation, where the influence of many political factors led him to his major breakthrough. His motor industry career at Humber, and during his time there, he competed in motor racing notably designing his own lightweight version of a supercharged Ulster Austin Seven with his own front axle. In August 1959 the car was launched as the Morris Mini Minor and the Austin Seven, which soon became known as the Austin Mini. German Engineer Who Designed And Built The First Practical Automobile (Crossword ClueThe crossword clue German engineer who designed and built the first practical automobile. I have heard some slander about his idea of putting the gearbox in the engine sump, but otherwise, he changed transportation for the masses on a scale not seen since Henry Ford. 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. People born under this sign are seen as warm-hearted and easygoing. 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. Alec Issigonis, or more formally Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis CBE FRS RDI* (1906 1988), is best known as the creator of the Mini, but he also designed two other cars that have featured on CC and that are amongst the best-selling cars in British motoring history the Morris Minor and the Austin-Morris 1100 (ADO16). As a matter of interest, go to this site: and click on the Letter From Dr. Alex Moulton link. 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. He didnt say by 1974 in regard to VW and Renault. Most events entered were sprints, but he also raced at circuits. Day terminated the consultancy agreement, without any more consultation. 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 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. 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. 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? Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. But this also reflects Issigoniss personal characteristics he was a strong minded, stubborn and arrogant man who did did not always have a lot of respect for others opinions and suggestions. Nice to see that blue Morris Oxford just the same as our first car that I remember. 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. Happy birthday to the Mini! 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. 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. Issigonis legacy. As such he was of the generation who experienced the privations of two apocalyptic world wars. The typical American indifference to regular maintenance did not play well with this setup. You could, however, discern Issigoniss influence on some of BMCs light commercials, especially the underfloor engined JU and walk through EA vans of the late 1960s. . He convinced Issigonis to ready the Mini for the Rallye Monte Carlo. MINI. It didnt just raise the bar it kicked it into next week ! I appreciate the research the depth and the smooth writing style to present it all in a gripping way. He inherited his great interest in technology and machines from his father who, shortly after the turn . Your article sure did him justice; thank you, Roger. Oak placed another engineer, Jack Daniels, alongside him to keep his feet on the ground. Are you sure Renault had transverse-engine hatchbacks by 1974? [9] He was cremated at the Lodge Hill Cemetery in nearby Selly Oak. Maybe because theyd lost the Issigonis chassis manners? It was at Alvis that Issigonis first worked with another of the influential characters of his career. 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. Alec Issigonis. Ive often wondered how its 35 horses managed the Berkshires . 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. . The Mini quickly became cult and had enthusiastic fans worldwide. I wonder if he was to blame for the Mini never having a hatchback, or a more softly suspended version? There was no radio fitted as he thought it would distract the driver. *27/02/01 The new Mini which will go on sale in the UK summer 2001, was , being unveiled for the first time. [12], In 1964 Issigonis was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI). 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. as an American familiar only with U.S. cars. Where was the gearbox to be fitted on a front wheel drive car? . [], The most comprehensive story youll ever read about the aborted 9X programme the ill-fated Mini replacement, engineered by the man who created the original. 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 . His retirement gift from the company was the largest available Meccano set, complete with a steam engine. There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. Alec is also well known as, British car designer best remembered for his work on the development of the iconic Mini. At the peak if his career he was by far the most well-known personality in the British motor industry, one of the most well-known names in the European motor industry, and was the first and perhaps the only car British designer who could claim celebrity status. Enter the length or pattern for better results. A truly fascinating man he was. In 1922 the family left Turkey for England, as all British people were banished from the country. The innovation he created by switching the orientation of the engine, changing the traditional transmission to a transaxle and sending power to the front wheels was a magnificent idea! What a great. Nkter data mohou pochzet z datov poloky. The 1100 benefited from someone elses external design. Given his disrupted education, unusual background and the tough economic times that were the late 1920s, finding a job was not easy, but in 1928, and by now a British citizen in his own right, Issigonis took his first job in the motor industry, for Edward Gillett in London, through a networking contact he had made at Battersea. Issigonis and Dowson then travelled into Austria to the mountain climb competition at the then new Grossglockner Hochalpen Pass. It confronted the conservative image of BMC head on, even if the rest of BMC range didnt. By 1938, Issigonis was lead engineer for steering and suspension for all the Morris car range. 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. 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. Essay on The Pure Voice in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. https://www.mini.com/ Not something one would anticipate until it is experienced. 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. People of this zodiac sign like truth, being right, longtime friends, teasing, and dislike dishonesty, revealing secrets, passive people. 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. Zodiac Sign: Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio. His father died in 1922, at which point he and his mother moved to the U.K.. Humber were more interested in the sales engineer than his product, and Issigonis moved to Humber in 1933. 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. I was amazed at the amount of space in that car you could even hide things in the cubbyhole under the rear seat. 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. In March 1957 Lord asked (more likely told, as Lord did not do asking) Issigonis to come up with something to compete with them. 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. Meanwhile from 1930, he raced a supercharged Ulster Austin Seven, and fitted it with an independent front suspension of his own design. They represent many years of design study in attempts to produce the best value for money in the field of small car design.

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