The latest addition to Stihl’s popular petrol chainsaw range is set to go on sale next month.

The pro-spec MS 400.1 C-M is 300kg lighter and, at 5.2hp, almost as powerful as the MS 400 it replaces, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio reckoned to be unmatched in the 60cc division.

See also: On test: Five top-spec electric chainsaws compared

Lightweight but powerful MS 400.1 C-M © Stihl

This has been achieved despite the company opting for aluminium, rather than magnesium, in the piston department and downsizing the bore from 66.8cc to 62.6cc.

But with pressure sensitivity reduced and a healthy 4.3Nm of torque still on offer, Stihl says the tool should be less likely to bog down midway through a chunky slice of timber.

Other hardware updates include a larger flywheel and improved muffler to keep the saw cool during work, and a bigger HD2 filter that has allowed cleaning intervals to be extended.

Like the firm’s other pro-spec saws, this latest MS comes with M-Tronic engine management, which automatically regulates ignition timing and fuel supply for easy starting and fast acceleration.

Exterior alternations are minor, though the wider end profile on the redesigned asymmetric rear handle does provide a larger knee support surface for completing plunge cuts.

And the crosshatch pattern on the saw’s underbelly has gone, so it’s less likely to get caught on bark and twigs when snedding.

Price for an MS 400.1 with a 16in bar is £1,074 ex vat; opting for the 20in bar takes it to £1,115. The tools go on sale in May.

MSA 190 T

MSA 190 T top handle chainsaw © Stihl

Stihl has also bolstered its battery-powered offering with the MSA 190 T – a mid-range top handle chainsaw that, at 1.6hp, is equivalent to the petrol MS 194 T.

It weighs 4.5kg with the battery, making it 500kg lighter than the larger 220 version and far easier on the wrist when pruning.

Buyers can lop off a load more weight by fitting a dummy battery with a cable to an AP 200 S power pack held in the operator’s belt holster.

Maximum working time is 48mins/charge, and it uses the same 1.1mm PS3 Pro chain as the rear-handle MSA 220.

Price with a 12in bar is £315 ex vat, and it’s £324 for 14in.

FSA 400 brushcutter

Stihl FSA 400 brushcutter © Stihl

Away from chainsaws, the company has unveiled its pokiest-ever battery-powered brushcutter.

It puts out 2.7hp, par with the petrol FS 411 C-Emm, and comes available with a raft of heads.

These include the AutoCut 46-2 mower that offers a 520mm cutting diameter, as well as shredders/mulchers for clearing brambles and circular saw blades for more intense bushwhacking.

They have the same 28mm aluminium driveshaft and gearbox as pro-spec petrol models, and there’s the option of K-badged short shaft versions designed to work slightly further from the ground.

The LED display allows operators to switch between three maximum rpm settings, and the tool should automatically detect the type of head fitted.

This means it can adjust spinning speed to maximise performance and energy use efficiency.

The FSA 400 runs Stihl’s biggest AP 500 battery, which has a 2,400-cycle service life and costs an average of 9p to charge from flat to full.

Multi-purpose carry case

Carry case houses several batteries © Stihl

Battery-powered tool owners that have geared up with several power packs to keep their machine running for longer periods might like the look of Stihl’s latest carry case.

It measures 37x17x19cm and has space for up to four AP batteries, plus two additional pockets for chain oil, sharpening equipment and the like.

It weighs 1.3kg unladen and costs £59 ex vat.