THE British Motor Industry Heritage Trust has recently bought two original drawings by the designer of the Morris Minor and the Mini.

The two sketches, together with the Leverhulme medal, which was awarded to Sir Alec Issigonis, will be added to the already extensive collection at Gaydon. The Leverhulme medal was presented to Issigonis in 1966 for his “services to science and its application” in recognition of his pioneering work on the design of the Morris Minor and the original Mini. The items were not obvious among a wide collection of car memorabilia which came up for sale recently at a Bonhams’ sale held at the Lords Cricket Ground. The sketches are executed on the translucent paper of a draftsman’s sketchpad.