While the name Alec Issigonis is most recognised as the designer of the original `Mini' this Turkish-born car genius was no one-hit wonder.
The new Mini, now owned by BMW, lives on as testament to his enduring design. Issigonis was also responsible for the design of the best known Morris of all time, the Morris Minor. At the time this car first hit the road Morris owner, William Morris is reported to have described the car as looking like a `poached egg.' Others said the car resembled the 1941 Packard Clipper.
In reality the Minor would have just about fitted into the Packard's ample boot. For mine, the overall appearance, and size, of the Minor is far closer to an Aussie icon ---- the 48-215 or FX Holden. Neither car would win a beauty pageant. Yet, as we have seen with Holden's Effigy, based on the similar looking FJ Holden, the styling had the potential to become one of the world's most beautiful cars.
Issigonis was a remarkable designer in that he not only created a trend with the shape of the Morris Minor, he was able to leave that design in the past and create an entirely new shape in the Mini, using front wheel drive technology to achieve his goal.
The Minor was a traditional front engine, rear wheel drive format, unlike the Mini. Morris had a tradition of producing light cars from the inception of the company in 1910. The first car was Morris Oxford `bull nose' that was introduced in 1913. Remarkably, the first Morris Minor was manufactured in 1928, using an 847 cc engine from Wolseley. By 1934 the `Minor' name was phased out, replaced by the Morris Eight. After WW2, Morris re-started production with the Morris Eight and Ten designs, and in 1948 the Eight was replaced by the resurrected Morris Minor name. This was the car designed by Issigonis.
It was an optimistic looking car reflecting the hopes of British people after the war. The design flowed on to the replacement of the Morris 10, the Morris Oxford, a larger variant. And, believe it or not the the Morris Oxford lives on today. The patents of the 1956 version were sold to the Indian Hindustan company which still produce the car as the Ambassador.
We hired one for a week about 10 years ago while in India, and it was fitted with an Isuzu diesel engine. In most other respects it looked the same as the original. But back to the first Minor, code named the `Mosquito' during development. It was powered, and we use the term loosely, by an 8 hp side valve Morris engine. The Minor would continue in production for almost 25 years in a run that took in three primary models, MM 1948-52, series two 1952-56 and Morris Minor 1000 1955-71.
By far the most popular was the Morris Minor 1000 as it not only had reasonable power, but handled quite well for that era. More than a million Minors were built, proving William Morris' judgement was flawed. The Minor is now a much-loved collector car, as we found at the Gold Coast Restorers Club annual Australia Day display. Two immaculate Minors turned up, a light green Series 2 and a bright red Series 2 convertible.
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