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The Fendt 728 has picked up the title of the 2023 Tractor of the Year.
Just prior to the end of 2022, the Tractor of the Year 2023 results were announced by the judging panel at EIMA – the Italian machinery show, held in Bologna.
This is said to be an important recognition of the most innovative tractors on the European market and is sponsored by tyre manufacturer BKT. A jury of 25 journalists, who specialise in agricultural mechanisation throughout Europe, reviewed the tractors entered for the award.
During the judging period, 16 different models from 13 different manufacturers were assessed. The Fendt 728 picked up the title of the 2023 Tractor of the Year, building on the Machine of the Year at the SIMA event held in Paris a few weeks earlier.
The judges praised the 728’s manoeuvrability and all-round ability, alongside the newly developed Fendt VarioDrive driveline, integrated VarioGrip tyre pressure control system, FendtONE and up to 223kW (300hp) of power available.
In addition, other attributes that impressed the judges included a new 6-cylinder 7.5-litre AGCOPower engine that offers extra boost power up to 15kW (20hp) in all conditions, a new hydraulic and cooling system and a safe cabin with filtration level at cat 4.
Among a range of new features on the tractor is the driveline, which uses separate hydro motors to drive the front and rear axles, alongside a constant 4-wheel drive system that is automatically regulated for best traction.
The engine used in the Generation seven 728 is AGCO’s new Core75 unit. Initially available as a 7.5-litre, 300hp block, designed to be compatible with future fuels such as hydrogen, ethanol, methanol or biogas, it could also potentially operate as an electric hybrid with further development. The first in a planned wider range, the new engine is compatible with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuels, enabling up to 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Delivering 1,450Nm of torque, the unit is designed to offer maximum torque at 1,300rpm instead of the more typical 1,500rpm. This lowspeed concept is said to provide the best fuel economy in the market today in its power class at 188g/kWh.
With fewer parts, the engine’s simplified design is said to make it more reliable and easier to service. Meanwhile, the advanced Emission Aftertreatment (EAT) system meets even the most stringent emissions standards without the need for an EGR.
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With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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