Sir Alec Constantine Issigonis, the man who designed the famous Mini motor car.

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Panhellenic Post
22 Ιουλίου 2024, 4 μήνες ago
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Sir Alec Constantine Issigonis (1906-1988) was the man who designed the famous Mini motor car.

Issigonis was born in #Smyrna (today #Izmir, Turkey). His father was a successful shipbuilding engineer of Greek origin. His mother was of Bavarian descent.

His grandfather Dimosthenis Issigonis had migrated to Smyrna from #Paros in the 1830’s and acquired British citizenship through the work he did for the British-built Smyrna-Aydin Railway.

Since they held a British passport, the Issigonis family were evacuated from Smyrna just before the #SmyrnaHolocaust of September 1922 along with other British subjects. The family was evacuated to #Malta but his father died not long after. The following year, Issigonis and his mother arrived in #Britain.

Issigonis worked as an engineer and a designer at a number of motoring companies in Britain. He also competed successfully in motor racing during the 30’s and 40’s. While working at Morris in the 40’s, Issigonis designed the Morris Minor, an ecnomical, small-sized vehicle which was manufacured from 1948-1971.

In 1956, while working for the British Motor Company, Issigonis was asked to bring into production a small, fuel efficient vehicle due to the Suez oil crisis which had caused a shortage of fuel at the time. In 1959 the car was launched as the Mini Minor. It later simply became known as the #Mini. Variants of the car were also made and included the Austin Seven, Austin Mini, Mini Moke and others.

The car remains in production today in fundamentally unchanged form. In 1999, the car was voted the second most influential car of the 20th century. Issigonis was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1969.