Between the Lines | Confederate Motorcycles Unleashes a New ‘Cat

Confederate Motors, Inc. makers of handcrafted heirloom motorcycles, unveiled their widely-anticipated third generation Hellcat last December. Drawing on the first and second generations’ distinctive architecture, the company’s new X132 Hellcat builds on that design with innovative engineering and avant-garde lines. The result is yet another iconic machine that shakes up the American motoring landscape.

The company’s founder and CEO, H. Matthew Chambers, referred to the new bike as “the motorcycle we were conceived to execute when I founded the company 21 years ago.”

Named after the legendary F6F Hellcat fighter plane of WWII, the X132 Hellcat employs a unique design and manufacturing approach. The centerpiece is the Hellcat’s billet aluminum case; instead of going with the usual casting method, this case is machined from two blocks of billet 6061 aircraft grade aluminum. Chambers said, “[it] unites America’s best V-twin...and superior powertrain technology into a singularity. Although this is the most expensive material and craft methodology, it is simply the best approach for maximizing strength.”

With over 40 units already pre-sold, the company was scheduled to begin production this month. Pricing for the X132 Hellcat is set at $45,000 (increasing to $49,500 on March 1, 2012). Orders may be placed at www.workandcycle.com.

www.confederate.com