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Claas took out the High-Power category with its Axion 9.450 Terra Trac.
Last month's Agritechnica event led to a wide group of manufacturers celebrating successes when the 2026 Tractor of the Year Competition winners, selected by a panel of European journalists, were announced in Hanover Germany.
Claas took out the High-Power category with its Axion 9.450 Terra Trac, with the judging panel noting its “combination of power density, hydraulic capability, and data-driven performance management”. In practical terms, this was demonstrated by a rear lift capacity of 11 tonnes and the ability to reach a 40kph road speed at only 1350rpm. They also commented, “the tractor integrates high output with machine optimisation tools and smart functions suited to larger farms.”
The Mid-Power category was won by Fendt’s 516 Vario, picking up the Award for its “balance of efficiency, comfort, and versatility as a reference in the mid-power class” with the jury also describing it, as being a tractor where “compact dimensions meet premium technology”.
Also from the AGCO stable, Valtra’s G125 CVT Active was awarded the Utility Tractor of the Year thanks to its “blend of agility, user-friendly operation, and technological integration, while also representing the evolution of compact versatility and featuring a robust hydraulic system, excellent visibility, and an ergonomic cab layout optimised for loader work”.
New Holland’s T4.120 F Auto Command, featuring a continuously variable transmission (CVT) technology for the narrow tractor segment, won the Specialised category. The jury praised its “compact design and premium technology, setting a new standard for vineyard and orchard applications”.
JCB’s recently released Fastrac 6300 claimed victory in the Sustainable Category, with the jury citing it as “an example of sustainable innovation that combines intelligent engineering, digital connectivity, and care for the soil to deliver productivity with responsibility”, adding that it “redefines the balance between performance, efficiency, and sustainability in high-speed tractor engineering”.
The final award was the TOTY Bot, first introduced in 2024 to recognise robotic tractors. This was taken out to AgXeed’s 2.055 W3, which is “an autonomous platform marking a concrete step toward robotic field operations and a commercial readiness and open architecture as key steps toward scalable, autonomous agriculture”.
Manufactured in Ireland, tested and launched at Agritechnica in Germany, AgriSpread’s new AS3000 bulk spreader takes much of the technology and features of the well-established AS2000 Series but adds a conveyor system to increase spreading widths up to 30m with lime/gypsum, up to 48m with urea and a whopping 52m with mineral and synthetic fertilisers.
Case IH used Agritechnica to reveal its new Puma series tractor, featuring what it claims is an entirely new vehicle design, which allows operators to enjoy a smoother ride with superior manoeuvrability, alongside the latest precision technology.
Creating a great deal of enthusiasm at Agritechnica, the T5.120 ‘Il Trattore’ styling concept tractor was celebrating the legacy of research and development, engineering, and design expertise, with the concept bearing a striking green and red colouring and styling inspired by the original first Fiat tractor, the Fiat 702 and the ‘Made in Italy’ logo.
Agritechnica was the launchpad for several “new” tractors, most reworks of existing models, but Deutz Fahr ‘s new 8 Series was the result of a clean sheet, with the manufacturer using multiple superlatives such as a ‘Step into the Future and Age of the Titans’.
The recently released Claas Jaguar 1000 Series has seen its flagship 1200 set a new official Guiness World Record in forage harvesting, harvesting 4096 tonnes of whole crop silage in 12 hours, alongside an efficiency record of just 0.49 litres of fuel consumption per tonne of silage harvested.
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