alec issigonis family alec issigonis family

This car was remarkably light, weighing less than 600lb. Issigonis had a reputation, deserved by all accounts, for arrogance and irascibility, an inability to suffer fools at all, and restricted his contact to as a small as a group as he could. Another Mini! Suffice to say it was an ambitious project for a family of compact cars - the smaller of the pair shorter overall than . The original Minor design was so narrow they had to chop it lengthways and widen it. 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. In a front-wheel-drive car, with more understeer and/or a bit more resistance at the wheel, this effect might be enhanced ? He still worked to his consultancy agreement but did so almost exclusively from home, briefing and debriefing nominated BL engineers each morning. 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. Moulton also designed folding, rubber suspended small-wheeled bicycles. A truly fascinating man he was. Sir Alec Issigonis started his career at Humber, known for their Humber Snipe and Humber Hawk models, even Queen Elizabeth II owned a Humber. Essay on The Pure Voice in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles. The family had an engineering business making marine engines and pumps, and it was from observing his father at work that he determined to become an engineer. Alec Issigonis (Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis) was born in Smyrna in the Ottoman Empire (now Izmir, Turkey). 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. with 8 letters was last seen on the March 01, 2023.We found 20 possible solutions for this clue. Excellent article. The lower picture is is an early (1958) Issigonis drawing of his vision for the Mini. Brilliant cars! Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis ( 18. listopadu 1906 Smyrna - 2. jna 1988 Birmingham) byl ecko - britsk automobilov konstruktr narozen na zem dnenho Turecka. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. He also had plans for a flat four cylinder engine, and at frequentlychallenged convention and Morris Motors conservatism. The original plan called for a large family car by 1960, to be followed by a smaller car and then a city car. The initials "G.I." As you know I was away when the little ceremony took place to mark your retirement and I have, of [], Sir Alec Issigonis, designer of the Mini, among other cars, is to remain design consultant with British Leyland after he goes into semi-retirement at the end of the month. We now call them Real Minis, to distinguish them from the post 2001 imitations. In November 1971, Issigonis officially retired from BLMC, with a major ceremony at Longbridge, for which BL marshalled an example of every car for which he had led the design, of which only the Minor was no longer in production. [12], In 1964 Issigonis was appointed a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI). Alec Issigonis: The Man Who Made the Mini, Sir Alec Issigonis, 81; Designer of Minicar And Morris Minor. Issigonis became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1967 and was knighted in 1969. The greatest overall compatibility with Scorpio is Taurus and Cancer. View gallery - 6 images. 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. The Minor was, of course, a huge success, for Nuffield and for Issigonis. An image from the 1964 Racing Car Show in the aftermath of the Mini's first Monte Carlo Rally win. . The loss of British sovereignty led not only to a political defeat but also to an oil crisis. Sir Alec Issigonis. 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. 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. Nkter data mohou pochzet z datov poloky. There is a truck factory in the city of Izmir, on the western Mediterranean coast of Turkey, builtby the British Motor Corporation (BMC) in 1967, and which still builds vehiclesunder the BMC brand. Tragically, Constantine Issigonis contracted a serious illness, and died in Malta in June 1923. Alec Issigoniss birth sign is Scorpio and he had a ruling planet of Pluto. 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. 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. 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. So Sir Alec Issigonis had an impact on my life. 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? Alternate titles: Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis. In 1942, the first scale model was produced and the following year work began on a hand-formed steel prototype. Noch ein Mini (A Mini! 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. From then onwards, any car in the small or medium market without a transverse engine was considered unusual, and conservative. Back in 1980 a friends father of mine who was a MP sergeant owned a then new Mini Cooper 1275 cc. I have liked them ever since. And the 1800 the rear seat really seemed limousine-like for the size of the car. Issigoniss legacy is undoubtedly best seen through his cars, from the Minor to the Maxi, which challenged conventions through engineering ingenuity. I wanted to know the genesis. Copyright 2023. . https://www.mini.com/ Lord Alfred Robens , Chairman of the National Coal Board, wearing cap and gown as he is installed as the new Chancellor of the University of . His mother was from Bavaria. In 1934 Issigonis was invited to join the drawing office at Humber Ltd in Coventry. Lord was looking for modernity, but he was also looking for commonality of engines, good quality design and cars good enough to be amongst the best in their class and internationally competitive. 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.. Alec Issigonis . 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. He was popular for being a Entrepreneur. Issigonis then went back to the British Motor Corporation, where the influence of many political factors led him to his major breakthrough. 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! Whos the richest Entrepreneur in the world. Decades later, despite enormous further developments, the vehicle has lost none of its initial charm. But back in the day, young UK petrolheads had the time of our lives with Minis, modified in countless ways, rocketing around on twisty English roads, and in weekend motorsports. This page is updated often with fresh details about Alec Issigonis. For Alec Issigonis it was THE chance to prove himself. All I know is, which car I would rather be in driving if there was any tricky situation [], DAILY MIRROR By Richard Sear No man looks less designed to start off the cult of the miniature. Alec Issigonis Net Worth 2023, Age, Height, Relationships, Married, Dating, Family, Wiki Biography . On the surface it didnt appear very desirable to Me, or to prospective new-car buyers. His father Constantine Issigonis was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from Paros. 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. In the face of all this mayhem, Mrs. Issigonis decided to migrate with Alex to Britain, a land neither knew. ADO15, 16 & 17 (36792752942).jpg 1 712 1 936; 589 KB Issigonis had also been involved in the larger Oxford, Isis and Wolseley ranges. . 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. 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. The problem was that I would never have initially chosen to drive one. At the end of the Greek-Turkish war in 1922, British subjects in Smyrna were evacuated by the Royal Navy, ahead of the Turkish re-possession of the area from Greece, with manyinitially travelling to Malta. For his accomplishments, Queen Elizabeth knighted Issigonis in 1969. Matchbox featured an MG 1100 in its 1-75 line-up for many years. Been a fan of Alec Issigonis since I was 8 years old. Alec completed his education at an English boarding school, and in 1925, took a two month tour, by car, of Europe with his mother before returning to take a place at Battersea Polytechnic in south London, to study mechanical engineering. [13], He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1967. [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. 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. Friendly was ideal for owner-buyers, a large part of the British car buying public, but never appealed to thrusting young execs and salesmen, which is why BLMC was so desperate for the Marina to crack the fleet market. He left Morris in 1952 for Alvis just as BMC was created from Austin and Morris (as well as Riley, Wolseley and MG).. It was designed to follow on from the Mini and 1100 as the next generation . Prior to his death, Alec and his mother travelled overland to London. Alecs father, Constantine Issigonis, who was born in Smyrna in 1872, studied in England, and subsequently returned to Smyrna, keeping the engineering business going through the First World War and maintaining his British citizenship. THE CREATOR OF AN ICONIC CAR: ALEC ISSIGONIS. The war years were spent. Demosthenis's son (Alec's father) Constantine Issigonis (Greek: ), was born, with British nationality, in Smyrna in 1872. Im sure this was never part of Issigoniss plan, as he was anti-style, but only the 1100 benefited from external help. When is Alec Issigoniss birthday? Road & Tracks test of the Austin America included the line, Superb four-speed fully automatic transmission makes more difference than youd believe possible. But they also noted that with just a few thousand miles on their test car, there was some issue (I forget what) with the trunk lock, and the outside of the engine was covered with oily black grime. It did get Hydrolastic eventually, then lose it again. Issigonis also devised a compact suspension system made of rubber cones instead of springs to keep the wheel wells from intruding into the passenger compartment. Issigonis designed a unitary construction saloon and the V8 engine, and utilised Moultons latest interconnected rubber suspension. John Daly, Your email address will not be published. . Im sure the Renault 4, 5, 6, and 16 had longitudinal engines. My doodles and sketches are not the work of an academic engineer. At this time, he was working for Maurice Olley. 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. " Sir Alec Issigonis. It was a very ambitious intention, which Alvis were not capable of delivering on without importing a lot of engineering talent. Updates? He excelled in mechanical drawing, but failed his mathematics exams three times. FamousBirthdays.com - use subject to the practices disclosed in our privacy policy. Noch ein Mini! Omissions? There he developed the Morris Minor, which remained in production from 1948 to 1971. 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. The Austin/Morris Mini was But his true interest was in the 9X and its power unit, and getting a version of it accepted by BL. 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. 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. His father was a successful shipbuilding engineer, whose own father was from the Greek island, Paros. In 1922 the family left Turkey for England, as all British people were banished from the country. Its practicality and affordability made it immediately popular; by the time of Issigonis death more than five million had been sold. He inherited his great interest in technology and machines from his father who, shortly after the turn . 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 . Styled by Pininfarina, it was launched as the Morris 1100 in 1962, and a year later as the Austin 1100, and the clean, classical lines of the car served BMC well. 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. They represent many years of design study in attempts to produce the best value for money in the field of small car design. His grandfather Demosthenis Issigonis . 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. Aos 16 mudou-se para Inglaterra onde iria cursar engenharia. However, his story proves: never give up your dreams even if life puts obstacles in your way. Issigonis was to use Moultons suspension ideas on all his future cars, with Moulton working in a consultancy capacity to BMC. The typical American indifference to regular maintenance did not play well with this setup. Moulton was a scion of the family behind the Avon tyres company and a respected suspension system engineer in his own right who had worked extensively on the concept of rubber as a suspension medium, before working on the hydrolastic and later still the hydragas systems. Beyond the Maxi, launched on 1969, Issigonis had left little visible influence on the new cars coming from British Leyland, and indeed, the company made definite moves that would have been unthinkable to him, such as the bold, deliberately contemporary styling of the Austin-Morris 18-22 (Princess range) or the Allegro, or the conservative engineering of the Morris Marina. I remember being quite put off by the sound of the engine seemingly racing to maintain 45mph. Ford clinging to the T too long was the same sort of corporate inertia that had VW clinging to the Bug too long. Chinese Zodiac: Alec Issigonis was born in the Year of the Rabbit. By 1964, BMC had built over one million front wheel drive vehicles, including over 800,000 Minis and over 200,000 ADO16s, and over a third were exported. Moultons hydrolastic suspension as installed on the BMC ADO16 by Issigonis. Subsequently my main triumph of design is a carbon block conveyor that fit into an oddly shaped spot while using less pieces of steel than its predecessor. 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. Thanks for this terrific bio on one of the all-time greats in the field. Demosthenis acquired British nationality through the work he did for the British-built Smyrna-Aydin Railway. 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 . Alec Issigonis is a famous Entrepreneur. I saw that same car several times, so, at least in nice weather, it apparently was a daily driver. 2939 Words; 12 Pages; 6 Works Cited; Essay on The Pure Voice in Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles This guilt convinces Tess that she must now travel to the D'Urbervilles' home and claim kin with them. Issigonis also insisted that no less than 80% of the cars volume be dedicated to passengers and luggage. The Mini caused a sensation with its design and rather small size in the late 1950s thanks to its inventor, the Englishman Alec Issigonis. File nella categoria "Alec Issigonis" Questa categoria contiene 5 file, indicati di seguito, su un totale di 5. 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. (I can remember seeing Austin Americas just a few years old being offered up for $50.) Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Cyber Sales Event Jewelry & Accessories Clothing & Shoes After these cars, and the formation of British Leyland in 1968, Issigonis was sidelined by a new influx of engineers led by Triumphs Harry Webster. Sketch by the late Sir Alec Issigonis, of the original Morris Minor, circa 1946. Mr. Front-Wheel Drive: Sir Alec Issigonis . . Your email address will not be published. Once more details are available, we will update this section. The Crossword Solver found 30 answers to "an alec issigonis family car launched in 1969 (6,4)", 10 letters crossword clue. [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. If it was front engined, was it to be rear wheel or front wheel drive? BMC and Issigonis were awarded the Dewar Trophy by the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) for the innovative design and production of the Mini. Stooping just under six feet in height, he looms large at any [], By GEOFFREY CHARLES, Motoring Correspondent A high-level reshuffle of BMC directors areas of responsibility was announced yesterday as part of a streamlining process before completion of the BMH-Leyland merger. However, there was more to his life than just one car. BMC had already developed, and asked outside consultants to develop, several concepts on various themes, none of which met the targets Lord had set, who was also determined to establish an internal capability to think, as we would now say, outside the box. The closure of the Suez canal created . By 1941, Issigonis had started work on an advanced post war car, then codenamed Mosquito, which became the Morris Minor. In 1961, with the Mini gaining popularity, Issigonis was promoted to Technical Director of BMC. 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 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. Humber was the upscale brand of the Rootes Group, but also the name of the main car building company in the Group. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Click the answer to find similar crossword clues . This isnt 1942. Maybe because theyd lost the Issigonis chassis manners? Issigonis planned two versions, known as the TA/350 with a 3.5 litre V8 and TA/175 with a 1750cc, V4 engine. Nice to see that blue Morris Oxford just the same as our first car that I remember. Enter the length or pattern for better results. He title at Alvis was Engineer in charge of passenger car design. A series engine, with gearbox beneath and side mounted radiator. Durante o curso ele foi reprovado trs vezes em matemtica. He was known for being a Entrepreneur. At Alvis, Issigoniss main task was to lead the development of a more affordable, higher volume luxury car. Copyright 2011 - 2023 Curbside Classics. Bookmark this page and come back often for updates. A reliable car with excellent steering and cornering qualities, it was the first all-British car to pass the one million mark in sales; surviving models are still cherished by owners and collectors. Who are the richest people in the world? 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. Sir Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis CBE FRS RDI (18 November 1906 - 2 October 1988) was a Greek automotive designer. I wonder if he was to blame for the Mini never having a hatchback, or a more softly suspended version? Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 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. I hardly ever drove a Mini or an 1100, but many miles of driving a Landcrab made me understand why it was so very good, in spite of some engineering shortcuts. Issigonis designed the most enduring small cars of the twentieth century, the Morris Minor (1948) and the Mini (1959) - a testament to his insistence that 'styled' cars dated quickly. The 1100 benefited from someone elses external design. Zodiac Sign: Alec Issigonis was a Scorpio. 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. Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. This strong streak of fierce independence and lack of compromise hid his lateral approach to the design and engineering of cars. By the mid 1950s, as Europe got back on its feet after the war, there had been many attempts to define the modern car, but none was proving to be dominantly successful. He became the engineering director of the British Motor Corporation in 1964, and was . Ruling Planet: Alec Issigonis had a ruling planet of Pluto and has a ruling planet of Pluto. A GLIMPSE INTO THE LIFE OF THE MINI FOUNDER. 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 was a hugely . The cars design with its front wheel drive and independent suspension provided good road handling, but Issigonis had scant regard for passenger comfort. In 1956, the focus was shifted towards a new economy car and from here, the Mini was born in 1959. 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. [], 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 more powerful engine, bigger brakes and a few tuning tweaks later, the Classic Mini Cooper 997 was introduced. Heynes later became Technical Director at Jaguar and was a personal friend of Issigonis for many years. Lords instruction was the one Issigonis had been waiting for, and he quickly developed the first Mini prototype. The Axis Powers? Alec Issigonis, the brilliant British designer of the Morris Minor and the Mini, is one of the commanding figures in the history of automobile design and engineering. Alexander Arnold Constantine Issigonis was born into the Greek city of Smyrna (now zmir) in the Ottoman Empire. Having been a passenger in an early Austin Landcrab on several occasions I can confirm they are amazingly spacious inside, front and rear. 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. Upon meeting Alec, she is shy and ashamed . But fearful that his freedom would be curbed in such a large company, Issigonis resigned from BMC and went to work for the much smaller Alvis company. That name was now engraved in my mind and as I got older I was drawn to LBCs (Little British Cars.) Issigonis returned to BMC to design a range of family vehicles. 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. 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. He attended Londons Battersea Polytechnic before entering the University of London External Programme. 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. The first front wheel drive car from BL after Issigoniss retirement was the Austin Allegro, still with the gearbox in the sump and without the obvious hatchback. It was more like a Lancia or a rear drive Citroen than a Rover or a Sunbeam-Talbot. A flawed genius, yes, and BMCs failure to manage him is clear. Perhaps it was a trait that ran in the family. . Astrologers and astronomers could only work with planets visible to the eye. 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. He was retired from British Leyland in 1971, memorably being given a Meccano kit for his leaving present.