AGCO scores a hatrick at Agritechnica

Three different models and brands from Agco each won their respective categories at the Tractor of the Year awards this year. The premium Fendt brand secured the overall winner’s position with the Fendt 1050 Vario.

Overall winner

The Fendt 1050 Vario is the biggest conventional tractor at 500hp powered by MAN, and features many new improvements. Fendt has put its clever hat on in developing the TA400 transmission for the new 1000 series. One hydrostatic pump drives two motors within the hydraulic element of the Vario transmission. But instead of the two motors being connected to the same drive line, one drives the rear axle while another drives the front – in effect, a hydraulic centre-differential.

This prevents mechanical wind-up associated with a four-wheel drive system. Fendt estimates that losses in efficiency can be as high as 36% in a mechanical four-wheel drive system.

If slip becomes too high between axles, a mechanical system locks front and rear axles like a conventional system.

Best utility tractor

Another Agco brand, Massey Ferguson, won the best utility tractor of the year award with the 5713 SL. The tractor’s novel emission technology uses a special ‘‘swirl system’’ to thoroughly mix the exhaust gases and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), such as AdBlue.

According to Massey Ferguson, with all-in-one technology, the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system and diesel oxidation catalyser (DOC) are contained together in a compact assembly that tucks away neatly under the right side of the cab.

Massey Ferguson claim this enables the MF 5713 SL to have one of the slimmest, steep-nosed bonnets in its sector, yielding excellent manoeuvrability and outstanding visibility.

Golden tractor for design

The Valtra N 174V claimed the golden tractor for design award. The judges said that the Valtra N 174V sports a modern, dynamic, compact and cool look. The new N-series has inherited much from the larger T-series, the most obvious being the T-series cab. The cab can be comprehensively specified, for example with a high-end stereo with integrated woofer, a front windscreen wiper that covers 270 degrees, heated front and rear screens and a TwinTrac reverse drive system.

Customers who do a lot of front-loader work may specify an extra window in the roof that offers an unobstructed view to the implement when the loader is in its highest position. The N Series is available with either one or two doors.

A new option is the SkyView forest cab, which offers enhanced visibility to the rear and upwards thanks to a large polycarbonate window with wiper.

Italian manufacturer Same won the specialised tractor of the Year award, for the Frutteto S 90.3 ActiveDrive orchard tractor.

For those of you who could not make it to the machinery masterpiece that is Agritechnica, the Irish Farmers Journal brings you some of the key figures.