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The new 8740 hit the magic 400hp mark.
The latest high-power tractor to top the six model Massey Ferguson 8700 series is the new 8740, which hits the magic 400hp mark at rated output and peaks at 407hp.
The largest conventional tractor MF has ever built, the 8740 combines performance with a minimum weight of 10.8 tonnes.
Four tonnes lighter than some competitors, the 8740 has a class-leading power to weight ratio of 26.7kg/hp.
This makes it suitable for top work such as spraying or drilling, and it can be ballasted-up for cultivation work with a maximum operating weight of 18 tonnes.
As with the rest of the range, the Dyna-VT continuously variable transmission is standard and combines with the Dynamic Tractor Management system to automatically adjust engine speed and transmission for optimum performance and reduced fuel use.
The 8700 series is one of the first tractors to be offered with the new Michelin AxioBib2 VF 650/85 R42 as a factory-fit option. Allowing the tractor to plough in-furrow, a feature of the new tyre is the flexible sidewall design. This places more lugs in contact with the soil to improve traction and reduce compaction.
In the cab, a new ISOBUS-compliant Datatronic 5-terminal has a 9-inch touch screen that uses tablet and smartphone technology to provide easy and intuitive changes to settings.
As well as providing complete tractor and implement control, the system can also oversee automatic steering with the AutoGuide system. More advanced programs can look after mapping, auto-section control and variable-rate applications, and comprehensive record keeping and fleet management, and data can be transferred back to the home base.
It seems that tractor manufacturers will go to great efforts to promote the versatility and durability of their offerings, a recent example being a Massey Ferguson with an 8S tractor entered into the Morocco Desert Challenge.
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