The “battle of the giants” among tractor manufacturers has stepped up a gear, as Case IH unveiled a new Steiger 715 Quadtrac with up to 778hp at the Farm Progress Show in the US.

The launch comes hot on the heels of Claas unveiling its most powerful Xerion yet in Canada, the 12.650 with up to 653hp under the hood.

Numbered “715” for North America – the model line-up is different in Europe – the latest Case IH Quadtrac is powered by a new twin-turbo 16-litre FPT Industrial engine coupled to a PowerDrive transmission.

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This full powershift unit provides 16 forward and two reverse ratios and an increased top speed of 40kph.

To help get the power down, the familiar triangular-shaped track units at each corner have a larger drive wheel and longer ground contact area.

This also helps distribute the considerable weight of the tractor – more than 27.7t in base spec form, with a permissible maximum weight of just over 32.6t.

Increased fuel capacity and improved forwards visibility are also part of the package, along with fresh styling likely to be rolled out across the range in time.