Sir Alec Issogonis

One of the most successful cars ever produced, the MINI was designed by a Greek. This is Alexander Issigonis or Sir Alec Issigonis.

Alexandros Isigonis was born in 1906 in Smyrna to Konstantinos, originally from Paros, and Hilda, a German. In 1922, he “lost” his father during the Asia Minor disaster and was rescued by an English warship, which brought him to London. He began his studies at the Polytechnic School, where he managed (although his own desire was to study fine arts) to graduate with distinction in drawing.

He later began working in the automobile industry, starting with Humber and then Morris Motor Company. In 1948 he introduced the Morris Mosquito, which was manufactured until 1971.

In August 1959, it introduced the Mini Morris (or as it is known in Greece, the Mini Cooper). The Mini Cooper is its best seller worldwide, having sold 5.3 million cars.

In 1961, it introduced the Morris 1100, which, like the other two, was a huge success, becoming three of the five best-selling British cars.

In 1969, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth, and in 1971 he retired from the automotive industry but continued to design until his death in 1988.

NIKOLAS TOMBAZIS

“Ferrari design manager in F1”

Nikolas Tombazis, the designer of Ferrari's Formula One car.

He was born in Athens in 1968 and studied aerodynamics engineering at Imperial College of London. His career began at Benetton in 1992, where he worked in the team's aero department until 1993. In 1993, he took over the department's management, where he remained until 1995.

In 1997 he moved to Ferrari as an aerodynamicist, while from 1998 to 2003 he held the position of head of the department.

In 2004, he took over the management of McLaren's design department, while from 2006 until today he returned to Ferrari as head of the team's aerodynamics department.

ANDREAS ZAPATINA

Andreas Zapatinas is a Greek automotive designer who was born in 1957 and studied design at the Art Center College of Design in California, from which he graduated in 1986.

From 1998 to 1994, he worked at FIAT as head of the company's design department. During his tenure, the following were designed: Barchetta, Coupe and Alfa Romeo 145.

In 1994, he moved to BMW, where his stamp is on the BMW 1 series, especially the cabrio and coupe versions, and the 3, 5 series, as well as the X5 and X6.

In 1998, he took over as head of design at Alfa Romeo, where the 147, 156 sports wagon, 159 and Brera were designed.

In 2002, Zapatinas took over the design department at Subaru, where the R2, B9 Tribeca and Impreza were designed and produced. His collaboration with Subaru lasted until 2006.

Now he is responsible for the appearance of Changan's S5 and S95 jeeps.

SOTIRIS KOVOS 

Sotiris Kovos is the Greek designer whose name is inextricably linked to the Toyota Yaris. He was born in Athens in 1965 where he began his studies in the sociology department at Panteion, but his love for cars and their design was what won him over and led him to study at the London Royal College of Art.

He started working at Peugeot during his studies and then moved on to Mazda, which gave him a scholarship in exchange for working for them.

Essentially his first job was at Toyota where he worked on the Avensis, MRJ, a design proposal for the MR

, while the Yaris was entirely his own work.

In 2000, he was appointed head of exterior design for all AUDI models, but this collaboration only lasted one year, until 2001.

From 2001 onwards, he decided to establish his own design company and has since undertaken design work on behalf of other companies.