Friday, 23 August 2019 12:25

Kubota gets closer to the big league

Written by 

Kubota is busy shedding its image of being only a maker of compact or municipal tractors.

Its new M8 series will take it beyond the 200hp mark towards its goal of higher power tractors and ultimately a long line of products. 

The M8 results from a recent OEM deal with the large-tractor maker Buhler Industries, whose Versatile Nemesis tractor was the starting point for the agreement.

The deal will allow blending the engineering quality and product development of both companies.

The new range will be built in Winnipeg, Manitoba and will increase Kubota’s offering beyond its flagship M7-172 made at its factory in northern France.

Power will come from a Cummins-B 6.7L engine with a choice of 190 or 210hp outputs, both conforming to Tier 4 Final emission regulations, Kubota says.

“The arrival of the M8 will allow us to aggressively target a large sector of the market where customers require a large utility or mid-size row crop tractor for materials handling, hay tool applications and a variety of fieldwork. 

“All models will have easy to control comfort and intuitive precision farming options.”

That operator comfort will be seen in the sector’s largest cab -- 4.2 cu.m. Kubota asked for an operator environment for long days and nights, using premium seating, extensive sound deadening, climate control and an ergonomic multi-function command centre.

Details are yet to be released, as is the likely availability or timing of the range’s arrival in New Zealand.

More like this

H is the 1!

OPINION: Good on Miraka for eschewing electric power for its future tankers, opting for the much more practical heavy-vehicle ‘green’ choice, hydrogen, putting NZ’s first H-powered tanker on the road.

Box Blade carves precise grading

Kubota NZ is continuing to improve its equipment attachment range with the BB30 Box Blade, said to be ideal for landscaping grading operations, using a skid steer or tracked compact loader.

Kubota tests diesel engines

Kubota last month used the UK LAMMA Show to test the water with its new 200hp, four-cylinder 09-series diesel engines.

Featured

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

NZ household food waste falls again

Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.

Editorial: No joking matter

OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.

National

Machinery & Products

Tech might take time

Agritech Unleashed – a one-day event held recently at Mystery Creek, near Hamilton – focused on technology as an ‘enabler’…

John Deere acquires GUSS Automation

John Deere has announced the full acquisition of GUSS Automation, LLC, a globally recognised leader in supervised high-value crop autonomy,…

Fencing excellence celebrated

The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) celebrated the best of the best at the 2025 Fencing Industry Awards,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

A step too far

OPINION: For years, the ironically named Dr Mike Joy has used his position at Victoria University to wage an activist-style…

Save us from SAFE

OPINION: A mate of yours truly has had an absolute gutsful of the activist group SAFE.

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter