Kereta rekaannya, BMC Mini dilancarkan dalam tahun 1959. Sir Alec Issigonis was one of the automotive industrys great independent thinkers. [], 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. A colleague of his had a VW Polo then and kept shaking his head: Well, yes, if there were no other compact cars in the world , Mr. Roger Carr, Thank you. 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. On the surface it didnt appear very desirable to Me, or to prospective new-car buyers. 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. [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). 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. There were, as CC has seen, many and varied reasons for the failure of the Landcrab and Maxi: the control (or rather the lack of it) exercised by Lord and Harriman over Issigonis; the inherited components; and marketing and production issues. THE CREATOR OF AN ICONIC CAR: ALEC ISSIGONIS. . It interested me as I had the honour of working with sir Alec for around 3 months. 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. Mini: a brief history - The Telegraph 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. [13], He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1967. Alec Issigonis Popularity Most Popular Born in 1906 First Name Alec #31 #1 Entrepreneur Born in Turkey #2 Alec Issigonis Is A Member Of Born In 1906 Entrepreneurs First Name Alec Scorpios The son of a Greek merchant, Issigonis immigrated to London in 1922 during the war between Greece and Turkey. Generation. This prototype was never manufactured because its cost was beyond Alvis's resources. 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. At the time of his retirement, 71, hatchbacks were not the thing they were 4 years later. 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 []. 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. 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. This page is updated often with fresh details about Alec Issigonis. He was retired from British Leyland in 1971, memorably being given a Meccano kit for his leaving present. But, as ever, events intervened in this case the Suez Crisis of 1956, complete with petrol rationing. But at the age of 50, he began designing one of the most iconic vehicles ever produced: the classic Mini. The big steering wheels angle was a bit bus-like though. Alexander Issigonis was born into the Greek community of Smyrna (now Izmir) in Ottoman Turkey. Great summary of a giant of industrial design. Issigonis was a remarkable engineer and obviously made his mark. Alviss options for body shell production were being reduced, at the same as the estimated costs of the body manufacture doubled. However, his story proves: never give up your dreams even if life puts obstacles in your way. In 1922 the family left Turkey for England, as all British people were banished from the country. Im sure the Renault 4, 5, 6, and 16 had longitudinal engines. . Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek city of Smyrna (now zmir) in the Ottoman Empire. I hope he knew that he changed the Automobile World for the better. He inherited his great interest in technology and machines from his father who, shortly after the turn . Sir Alec Issigonis started his career at Humber, known for their Humber Snipe and Humber Hawk models, even Queen Elizabeth II owned a Humber. 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. [11], Issigonis was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1964 Birthday Honours. I got to drive his Red mini when I went for fish and chips on a Friday. Thank you very much for a wonderful biography. 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. He was flattered to be copied, though. Stokes was heard on his appointment to say: "We'll sharp sort this bloke Issigonis out!". Issigoniss mother, Hulda Prokopp, was descended from a Bavarian brewing family who had settled in Smyrna, and established a brewery. I was amazed at the amount of space in that car you could even hide things in the cubbyhole under the rear seat. 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. That name was now engraved in my mind and as I got older I was drawn to LBCs (Little British Cars.) A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF THE MINI FOUNDER. His name? Youre right about maintenance. In 1961, a shipload of Minis suffered mild water damage on their journey to the east coast of US. 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. The initials "G.I." 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. His mother was Bavarian, the daughter of a brewer. An advanced 4-speed fully automatic transmission was offered in these that lived in the sump and shared the engine oil, just like the manual gearbox. German Engineer Who Designed And Built The First Practical Automobile (Crossword ClueThe crossword clue German engineer who designed and built the first practical automobile. 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. If you see something that doesnt look right, contact us. Durante o curso ele foi reprovado trs vezes em matemtica. In October, 1957, just eight months after first putting pen to paper, the first prototypes were on the road. 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. Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world. What a great. The Boudjah - Smyrna born Alec Issigonis was an engineering genius and even after his death there is a fan base for his cars. [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. That's exactly what he did. Issigonis actually sketched the Minis original design with a pencil on a tablecloth. 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. The original Minor design was so narrow they had to chop it lengthways and widen it. 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. The Mini caused a sensation with its design and rather small size in the late 1950s thanks to its inventor, the Englishman Alec Issigonis. You serve us all wonderfully. Been a fan of Alec Issigonis since I was 8 years old. in there was a 1 hr "The Mini Man " -Sir Alec Issigonis 1906 - 1988 by great friend and car fanatic Peter Ustinov. Generation also known as The Greatest Generation. Towards the end of WW2, he began work on the Mosquito project, which ended up being launched in 1948 as the Morris Minor. They kept it several years until they decided they needed their 1st air-conditioned car a 66 LeMans. [5]:277. Alec Issigonis: The Man Who Made the Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, 81; Designer of Minicar And Morris Minor. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis, CBE, FRS, RDI (Alec Issigonis) was born on 18 November 1906 in Smyrna in Greece (now Izmir, Turkey) and would become world-renowned for designing the Mini and Morris Minor for BMC. His love/hate relationship with the companys products stayed with []. After returning to England in 1922, he enrolled in engineering school, failing mathematics at every turn. Sir Alec Issigonis - Motoring Weekly [4] His maternal ancestors originated in the Kingdom of Wrttemberg. His father, however, did not survive the crossing. A very enjoyable read on a man whose name I knew in conjunction with so many brilliant designs, but who I previously knew little about. 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? In 1942, Morris gave Issigonis overall responsibility for an all-new model; the Morris Minor. During this time he started to build a special sprint racer with a friend. His stubbornness, I would say, had more in common with Ford starting production of the T, when everyone was telling him to make expensive cars because they were more profitable. Alec Issigonis Biography | HowOld.co Issigonis 'response was dry and forceful:'I'm an engineer. I do not know how many I have owned Morrises, Austins and MGs. It really showed up typical RWD cars of the time as being great space-wasters. I saw one, in 79 or 80, sold here as the MG Sports Sedan. 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 . The irony being, of all the cars built in the world that follow his layout, none carry an Austin or Morris badge. 1988: The Passing of an Automotive Legend - Transportation History The loss of British sovereignty led not only to a political defeat but also to an oil crisis. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alec-Issigonis. Our tool for managing your permission to our use of cookies is temporarily offline. He convinced Issigonis to ready the Mini for the Rallye Monte Carlo. Alec Issigonis Facts for Kids - Kiddle MINI Revolutionary with the Drawing Pad - myAutoWorld.com Category:Alec Issigonis - Wikimedia Commons How about an uncomfortable driver is a distracted driver? 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. Matchbox featured an MG 1100 in its 1-75 line-up for many years. ALEC ISSIGONIS Automotive Designer (1906-1988) One of the most original car designers of the modern era, ALEC ISSIGONIS (1906-1988) is best known as the creator of the Mini, but also designed two more of the five best-selling cars in British motoring history - the Morris Minor and the Austin 1100. . 37 Sir Alec Issigonis Premium High Res Photos - Getty Images Alec Issigonis | Classic Cars Wiki | Fandom Looking at the Minor or the Mini, I can believe that. Absolutely brilliant article about an engineering genius. ), British automobile designer who created the best-selling, economical Mini and the perennially popular Morris Minor. His iconoclasm ensured that, despite the constraints of working in an industry where the size and complexity of the process meant that even the most forceful of designers was only one member of a large team, Issigonis cars bore his own stamp from the 1948 Morris Minor to the 1969 Maxi. Alec Issigoniss birth sign is Scorpio and he had a ruling planet of Pluto. The Crossword Solver found 30 answers to "an alec issigonis family car launched in 1969 (6,4)", 10 letters crossword clue. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Moultons hydrolastic suspension as installed on the BMC ADO16 by Issigonis. Nearly $1900 was pretty stiff pricing for a car that size in the mid 60s, $150 more than a Bug.