Career Alec Issigonis

issigonis went motor industry engineer , designer working humber , competed in motor racing during 1930s , 1940s. starting around 1930, raced supercharged ulster austin seven, later fitting front axle of own design, leading employment @ austin. modified machine replaced radical special completed in 1939, constructed of plywood laminated in aluminium sheeting. suspension of advanced design, trailing arm front suspension attached steel cross-member, , swing axle rear, rubber springs made of catapult elastic. car remarkably light, weighing 587 lb, of engine contributed 252 lb. time chassis had been completed (hard labour—it done hand, no power tools), issigonis had moved morris motors limited, austin supplied works specification supercharged side-valve engine. issigonis won, when entered in 1100cc class if there no 750cc category. events entered sprints, raced @ circuits.

in 1936, moved morris motors limited @ cowley working on independent front suspension system morris 10. war prevented design going production later used on mg y-type. worked on various projects morris through war , towards end started work on advanced post war car codenamed mosquito became morris minor, produced 1948 until 1971. in 1952, bmc formed merger of morris , austin, moved alvis cars designed advanced saloon all-aluminium v-8 engine, , experimented interconnected independent suspension systems. prototype never manufactured because cost beyond alvis s resources.

at end of 1955, issigonis recruited bmc, time austin plant @ longbridge, chairman sir leonard lord, design new model family of 3 cars. xc (experimental car) code names assigned new cars xc/9001, large comfortable car, xc/9002, medium-sized family car, , xc/9003, small town car. during 1956 issigonis concentrated on larger 2 cars, producing several prototypes testing.

however, @ end of 1956, following fuel rationing brought suez crisis, issigonis ordered lord bring smaller car, xc/9003, production possible. 1957, prototypes running, , mid-1957 project given official drawing office project number (ado15) thousands of drawings required production produced. in august 1959 car launched morris mini minor , austin seven, became known austin mini. in later years, car become known mini. due time pressures, interconnected suspension system issigonis had planned car replaced equally novel, cruder, rubber cone system designed alex moulton. mini went on become best selling british car in history production run of 5.3 million cars. ground-breaking design, front wheel drive, transverse engine, sump gearbox, 10-inch wheels, , phenomenal space efficiency, still being manufactured in 2000 , has been inspiration small front-wheel drive cars produced since 1960s.

in 1961, mini gaining popularity, issigonis promoted technical director of bmc. continued responsible original xc projects. xc/9002 became ado16 , launched morris 1100 hydrolastic interconnected suspension system in august 1962. xc/9001 became ado17 , launched, hydrolastic suspension system, austin 1800 in october 1964.the same principle carried on next production car austin maxi, however, had become more aware of cost considerations of vehicle manufacture , in service warranty costs crippling bmc. appeared maxi development era issigonis wanted own thing cost cutting , development costs spiraled. instead research work on mini replacement 9x compact transverse engine. creation of british leyland in 1969, new chairman lord stokes sidelined issigonis , made him termed special developments director , replacing him harry webster new technical director (small/medium cars). stokes heard on appointment say: ll sharp sort bloke issigonis out! .

issigonis nicknamed greek god contemporaries. whilst famous creation of mini, proud of participation in design of morris minor. considered vehicle combined many of luxuries , conveniences of motor car price suitable working classes – in contrast mini spartan mode of conveyance cut bone. interestingly issigonis commented friends , colleagues austin 1800 (ado17) design proud of, though never commercially successful 3 preceding designs.

sir alec officially retired motor industry in 1971, although continued working until shortly before death.