TisF Spends Five Fabulous Minutes with Adrian Van Anz, Founder of Derringer Cycles.
Derringer is the neo-classical interpretation of a 1920's era board track racing motorcycle, but that's not all. This revolutionary moto-hybrid was conceived as an exciting new option in highly-efficient transportation. Derringers can be human propelled, propelled via engine power, or human propelled with the assistance of engine power. While under power, the pedals can also remain stationary, allowing you to operate in the style of a traditional motorcycle. Capable of fuel economy ratings that can exceed 150 mpg, Derringers are the first product to take the compromise out of environmentalism, clearly evidenced by the number of customers who purchase a Derringer along with an in-home display stand.
The Derringer was created by world-renowned industrial designer Adrian Van Anz , whose clients range from celebrities including Brad Pitt and members of the Royal Family, to design-forward companies such as Sony®, Reebok®, and Hewlett Packard®. Heralded as a genius by Sony®, his extraordinary creations have been featured in publications ranging from Forbes® to Variety®, and on television shows seen around the world. When he set about creating a revolutionary class of efficient personal transportation, he envisioned the perfect urban vehicle as the missing link between his Ducati® and his Schwinn®. He knew, after looking at the failure of recent personal transport projects, that if he was going to draw people out of the familiarity and comfort of their cars, an argument for efficiency alone would not suffice. Something very important was missing from the failed projects of other companies: Style. With that in mind, he set out to create a product that was cool; the fact that it achieved 150 mpg would simply be an afterthought. After months of studying state and federal transportation regulations, he came up with a formula for efficient, safe, and fast transportation.From the white tires, manufactured without the use of carbon black, to the hand made leather saddles with hammered copper rivets, each Derringer is a beautifully crafted objet d' art. The finished product is a pure vintage racer, re-imagined for a concrete jungle.
What is your idea of Fabulous?
AA: My idea of fabulous is a 60 degree foggy day just north of Big Sur on Highway 1, and I'm in a Carrera GT with the top off and heater on heading south into an amazing RV free drive for the next 100 miles.
Who is the most Fabulous person you know?
AA: The most fabulous person I know is my Mom, who ran from the cops in her vintage 911 while I was in the back as a little kid, and then told me to duck after we dove off down a side street.
Which Fabulous word do you use most?
AA: Most fabulous word, probably Fantastic.
What is your greatest (most Fabulous) extravagance?
AA: That's a toss up between Johnnie Walker 1820 White Label, and the whatever happens to be the latest Nikon Pro DSLR body. Luckily for my wallet, white label is pretty hard to find, so I go through bottles and camera bodies at about the same rate.
Where would you like or prefer to live your Fabulous life?
AA: Lying on a bed, watching Moto GP in a 65 degree room, while looking out on a 105 degree Palm Springs Sunset from my Lautner on the hill. A boy can dream.
What do you consider your greatest (most Fabulous) achievement?
AA: Having Philippe Starck call something I created one of his favorite things in the NY Times was pretty cool.
What is your (Fabulous) motto?
AA: "Do you think we can get chrome to stick on that?" :)
For more information on Derringer Cycles please visit: www.derringercycles.com/index.html
Photography by Joseph Escamilla & Adrian Van Anz.