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TRACTORS

Valtra factory keeps producing first-gen Vario transmission

Agco’s Valtra factory in Finland is supplementing production of the first-generation ML-series Vario transmission for installation in some of its own tractors. Capacity at Fendt’s Marktoberdorf facility in southern Germany…

TRACTORS

First impressions: Sharper handling for latest John Deere 6R

When a tractor range is one of Europe’s bestsellers, the last thing you want to do is upset the formula. Get too radical with any redesigns and there is a…

TRACTORS

First impressions: Fendt 1100 MTs get power boost

Wind the clock back a decade and Fendt looked like it might push crawler tractors to the brink of UK extinction. The reputation of iconic twin-track brand Challenger was already…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: JCB Fastrac owner rates his pair of 6300s

Hauling heavyweight tankers, spreaders and trailers across England’s northernmost counties requires a tractor that’s as adept at clocking up hours on tarmac as it is in the field. That is…

TRACTORS

Claas launches refreshed 145-180hp Arion 5 tractors

Claas has revamped its middleweight Arion tractors with a nose-job and a bunch of driver-friendly features. Following hot on the heels of the company’s revised Axion 8 launch, this latest…

TECHNOLOGY

Converted Leyland 255 powered by used electric car parts

A quick drive-by of Ben Bament’s low-key workshop in Farmborough, Somerset would reveal nothing of the wizardly engineering cloaked under the most ordinary of machines berthed outside. Among his curious…

Tractor reviews and tests

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TRACTORS

Driver’s view: Versatile Delta Track - brawn on a budget

When Case-IH chose to bolt four track units to one of its articulated prairie monsters it created a new tractor concept that had no direct rivals for more than 15…

MACHINERY

World's most powerful four-cylinder tractors on test

The appeal of a small frame and strong engine has seen most of the major tractor makers falling over to build the biggest four-cylinder tractor on the market. Oliver Mark…

MACHINERY

Top-end tractor test: John Deere 8360R

Power Farming Verdict: 3.9/5 In terms of economy, test results didn’t quite match those of the JD 8335R. But they certainly weren’t bad, particularly as there wasn’t a drop of…

MACHINERY

Top-end tractor test: New Holland T8.390

Power Farming Verdict: 3.5/5 Fiat engine very frugal on fuel – but AdBlue is also required. Good performer in the field for heavy draft work, helped by effective engine-transmission management…

TRACTORS

Driver’s view: Case-IH Quadtrac 600

When Case-IH chose to bolt four track units to one of its articulated prairie monsters it created a new tractor concept that had no direct rivals for more than 15…

MACHINERY

110hp tractor test: Valtra N113

Power Farming Verdict: 3.4/5 Valtra’s combination of good gearbox, torquey engine and comfortable ride set it apart from its test rivals. Downsides included our usual Valtra gripe of bad switchgear…

MACHINERY

Mid-range tractor test: MF 7624 Dyna-VT

Power Farming Verdict: 3.5/5 The French-built Massey has plenty of features and a new joystick. It performed averagely at the test station and its unreliable terminal can be hard to…

TRACTORS

On test: New Holland T5.140 DCT

New Holland has added a double-clutch transmission to its T5 range, expanding the options for stock farmers who crave a slicker alternative to the basic 12-speed Utility stick-shifter. While simple…

TRACTORS

On test: Fendt 312 Vario Profi

As ever, there was no faulting the Fendt’s comfort, but for once it was beaten to the top spot by John Deere. The 300 series remains a slimmed down version…

401+HP

First impressions: Valtra's revamped 420hp S416 gets new cab

Valtra’s big S-series has finally been given some Finnish affection, having been left as little more than a masquerading Massey for nigh on two decades. As well as acquiring a…

MACHINERY

John Deere 6150R six months in

New tractors cost a pretty penny these days so it’s wise to do your homework before dipping your hand in your pocket. Simon Henley visits a farmer in Warwickshire who…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Tom Dirom's Valtra Q285

Valtra’s long-awaited Q-series finally broke cover in 2022, filling a void between its existing T and S ranges. Second biggest in the five-strong line-up is the Q285, which matches the…

Tractor guides

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MACHINERY

Tractor tuning perks and pitfalls: Is it worth the risk?

Fork out a few hundred quid on a little black tuning box and you could unleash a healthy dollop of extra power and torque from your tractor. Sounds tempting, doesn’t…

101-200HP

Video: John Deere 6120M Command Quad tractor on test

Last year’s unveiling of a heavily reworked 6M tractor range may have been lost in the razzmatazz of John Deere’s high-end tractor and combine launches, but these simple(ish) models could…

TRACTORS

First impressions: Valtra's new Q305 tractor

A two-year reshuffle of Valtra’s entire tractor range, including a new G-series and updates to the As, Ns and Ts, culminated this summer with the launch of a quintet of…

Latest tacho, licence and red diesel rules explained

What is legal on the road is not so much a grey area – it’s more like 50 shades of grey, all which have to be interpreted carefully by farmers…

TRACTORS

On test: Valtra T215 Direct

Massey Ferguson and Fendt might reign supreme in Agco’s tractor portfolio, but Valtra is closing in after unleashing a blizzard of major updates to its tractor cabs and controls. No…

TRACTORS

Deutz-Fahr unveils new 287hp 8280 TTV tractor

Deutz-Fahr has filled the 280hp hole at the top of its tractor line-up with a sole 8-series model that packs a brand-new CVT transmission and an enviable power-to-weight ratio. The…

TRACTORS

Video: Valtra's new 135hp G-series tractor on test

Valtra recently unveiled a completely new 105-135hp tractor range, but its choice of components marks something of a departure from traditional Finnish form. Rather than using home-built gearboxes, the new…

TRACTORS

On test: Deutz-Fahr 6140.4 TTV

Deutz is still using up its stash of Tier 4i engines, so we separated it from the rest of the cleaner-running, Tier 4f-powered pack. Poor marks for its small cab,…

MACHINERY

Case IH Maxxum 130 EP on test

Power Farming Verdict: 3.7/5 CNH was represented by the red-liveried Maxxum and its economical FPT engine scored highly. But it had a limited number of transmission settings and the monitor…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Tom Mixture's John Deere 6R 250

Sitting at the apex of John Deere’s “mid-size” tractor line-up, the 6R 250 offers a healthy slug of power in a modestly proportioned chassis. Its versatility in tackling jobs both…

Test: John Deere automatic loader

John Deere has launched a new automatic tractor loader that promises to take the headache out of tedious handling duties. Return to position How it works Verdict Gallery John Deere…

Tractor technology

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TRACTORS

John Deere responds to increasing Greenstar thefts

A PIN code locking system has been installed on John Deere’s Greenstar cab displays and StarFire satellite receivers to curb the appeal of these products to thieves. See also: GPS…

TECHNOLOGY

Engineer adapts Kubota tractors for driverless contracting

Plenty of manufacturers have had a stab at building a driverless tractor – Case-IH has one based on a Magnum, Kubota’s attempt is a quirky-looking tracked contraption and John Deere…

Knott self-adjusting brake claims to give easier servicing

Burton-on-Trent brake manufacturer Knott-Avonride has launched what it claims is the first automatically adjusting system for auto-reverse brakes for livestock trailers. Its universal brake system differs from other systems on the market…

Road legal

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Latest tacho, licence and red diesel rules explained

What is legal on the road is not so much a grey area – it’s more like 50 shades of grey, all which have to be interpreted carefully by farmers…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

Ultimate guide to tractor tyre management

It is essential to ensure your tractor tyres are in good working order, both for your safety and for your pocket. We look at the causes of premature tyre wear,…

TRACTORS

11 biggest tractors of all time

The average horsepower of new tractors in the 1920s was just 25hp, but it's now nearing 160hp. Michael Williams takes a look at the 11 most powerful tractors built over…

MACHINERY

Compare tractors and combines with our buyers guides

Farmers and contractors looking to take several options into consideration when choosing a new tractor will find the new specification and price guide published on FWi this week a useful…

TRACTORS

Farm machinery giants: The Fendt success story

Village blacksmiths started many of the big-name companies in the farm machinery industry, but the family who founded Fendt buck that trend. Sylvester Fendt began his clock-making business in the…

TRACTORS

Buying a 150hp tractor? We look at 12 options

For sheer choice and variety, the 150hp bracket marks the tractor sector’s sweet spot, with most makers offering four- and six-cylinder alternatives and a multitude of transmission types and spec…

TRACTORS

Ultimate guide to buying a tractor 2020

Major updates for the Case-IH Magnum, Fendt 900 Vario, John Deere 6 and 8 families, and New Holland T5 and T8 lines are among the changes for this year’s Ultimate…

MACHINERY MAINTENANCE

Tips for maintaining a Fendt 700-series tractor

Few tractors hold their value quite like a 700-series Fendt, and even when the hour clock has clicked to five figures, they can still have price tags of more than…

TRACTORS

Is a future of methane-powered tractors viable?

If you remember New Holland’s first attempt at a methane tractor back in 2013, you’ll probably recall being hugely sceptical and quite underwhelmed by what was a T6 tractor with…

TECHNOLOGY

How technology that can control tractors works

If the idea of driving into a field, punching a few settings into a touchscreen and letting a computer take charge of key tractor and equipment controls sounds a bit…

TRACTORS

Tractors: where are they made?

Long gone are the glory days when the vast majority of tractors used on UK farms were built in UK factories. Today, only CNH Industrial’s New Holland plant in Essex…

TRACTORS

Tips for buying a second-hand Challenger MT765E

Rising input costs, falling subsidy payments and squeezed profit margins mean many farmers are turning to the second-hand machinery market to add extra firepower or replace their ageing prime mover.…

101-200HP

Top tips for getting the best from a John Deere 6930 Premium

In the second-hand, mid-horsepower tractor market, John Deere’s 6930 Premium is arguably one of the most sought after. Built in Mannheim between 2007 and 2012, this lightweight, powerful tractor offers…

Video

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TRACTORS

Video: Massey Ferguson 7718S Dyna 6 tractor on test

Massey Ferguson’s six-cylinder tractor line-up is now a little long in the tooth. On the one hand, that means the Agco Power engine and Dyna 6 transmission are both solid…

TRACTORS

Video: New Holland T7.230 Power Command tractor on test

New Holland’s T7 might lack the glamorous cab offered by the likes of John Deere and Valtra – noise and space being its most obvious shortcomings – but there is…

MACHINERY

Video: John Deere 8R – tracks v tyres

John Deere launched its range of high horsepower 8R tractors last autumn. Emily Padfield had a drive of both wheeled and tracked models to see how they perform in the…

MACHINERY

Driven: Fendt 828 reverse-drive

[fwi_vidyard code="-ywPYYNkJb0OmXEsKYqmGw"] Power Farming Verdict Star Star Star Star Star Big cab, lots of computer wizardry, clever suspension and gutsy engine, but it's £30,000 more than the nearest competition. Summary…