Straw contractors have access to some handy extra reach and lift capacity with the launch of JCB’s 542-100 telehandler.

The new model can lift 4.2t and is capable of pushing loads to a heady height of 9.8m, making it the longest boom agricultural telehandler in the firm’s line-up.

Engineers have managed to achieve this while keeping the footprint the same as the current bale-shifting favourite ­­– the 536-95 – which is rated to 3.6t and has a maximum lift height of 9.49m.

See also: Revamped JCBs in demand as prices for new machinery rise

In the top-spec Agri Pro guise, the 4.8-litre JCB Dieselmax engine is pushed up to 173hp and 690Nm, which the firm says gives it 22% more tractive power.

This is coupled to a high-speed DualTech VT hybrid transmission good for 50kph.

It also includes the firm’s hydraulic braking system, which has separate feeds for the front and rear axles, plus an automatic four-wheel-drive engagement when it’s running in rear-wheel drive on the road.

JCB says this improves stopping power and stability as the brakes are applied.

Hydrogen engine

In other news, the maker has sought to highlight the versatility of its hydrogen-fuelled engine, by slotting a couple of its 75 prototypes into a Mercedes Sprinter van and a 7.5t truck.

The job was apparently straightforward and, because its torque curves mirror those of a diesel, both vehicles function as they did with their original blocks in place.