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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…

TRACTORS

Claas pulls the wraps off revamped 264-313hp Axion 8 tractors

As part of an update programme across its entire tractor range, Claas has launched revamped versions of its 800-series machines. Three new variants – the Axion 8.240, 8.270 and 8.290…

TRACTORS

Quicke improves weighing on tractor-mounted Q-Series loaders

Tractor loader control and automation is reckoned to have reached new heights with the latest updates to Quicke’s Q-companion digital system introduced alongside changes to the flagship Q-Series loaders. Existing…

TRACTORS

Cereals 2026: John Deere 6M tractor and 500R sprayer updated

Cab size is now the only real differentiator between John Deere’s 6R and 6M series tractors, thanks to a handful of new optional extras on the latter. These include a…

TRACTORS

Revamped John Deere 6R gets new cab and sharper handling

John Deere has overhauled the top end of its popular 6R tractor range, fitting a bigger cab and uprating the running gear for better handling. For now, only models on…

301-400HP

First impressions: New 8340’s cab is a Deutz-Fahr revolution

Not for the first time, green tractors of German provenance stole the headlines at November’s Agritechnica show. Only this time, John Deere, Fendt and Claas bods were among the spectators…

Tractor reviews and tests

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MACHINERY

On test: Claas Arion 650 Cmatic

When Claas pulled the wraps off its Arion back in 2012, it was the culmination of a Grand Designs-style rebuild of the brand’s mid-rangers. The five-pillar cab came from the…

TRACTORS

Driver's view: Sisto family's 7-year-old New Holland T7.210

A dependable engine, solid transmissions and keen pricing have made New Holland’s T7.210 one of the most popular six-cylinder workhorses on the market. It might not be the most powerful…

MACHINERY

Drivers view: JCB Fastrac 3185

Driver's verdict I would certainly consider buying another Fastrac. Arguably, they are not the best cultivation tractors, but ours have worked extremely well. You get a lot of tractor for…

TRACTORS

On test: JCB Fastrac 4220 iCON

This time last year we pitted JCB’s Fastrac 4220 against a Fendt 724 Vario to see just how close the high-speed specialist’s in-field performance could get to that of a…

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…

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…

101-200HP

First impressions: More power and speed for Deere 6M-series

They might be simpler and cheaper than their premium-spec cousins, but the lack of a 50kph transmission has long stymied sales of John Deere’s 6M tractors in the UK. Keen…

MACHINERY

On test: 9-series takes Deutz tractors over 300hp

Deutz-Fahr is a tractor builder on a mission. It has followed up the launch of its 6- and 7-series CVTs with another tractor range that pushes the company’s boundaries well…

MACHINERY

On test: Case IH Puma 175 CVX

The other tractors on test Fendt Vario 720 New Holland T 7.230 Valtra T 214 Direct Massey Ferguson 7720 Dyna The Puma paid the price for being the smallest tractor…

MACHINERY

Video: First drive: McCormick X70.80

Power Farming Verdict For once we weren’t sitting in the tractor cab into the early hours trying to work out how to set-up headland management and adjust transmission settings. We…

TRACTORS

High-hour horsepower: John Deere 6830 breaks 20,000 hours

Graham Hayllar runs a grassland-based contracting outfit in the picturesque Eden Valley, Cumbria, and uses a fleet of high-hour workhorses, including a John Deere 6830 Premium that has clocked an…

TRACTORS

On test: Time-proven John Deere 6M 155 finally gets 50kph

Some tractors prove to be stinkers, others functional if unremarkable, and a very select few transcend an era. John Deere’s 30-series – the 6930 and 7530 in particular – has…

Tractor guides

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401+HP

Video: On test - John Deere 8400R

Over the past couple of decades, tracked tractors have established themselves as the go-to cultivations power source for many 500ha-plus arable growers, thanks to their ability to skip lightly across…

TRACTORS

First impressions: New £250,000 Fendt 728 lands on UK soil

What do you do when you’ve nailed the formula for a compact 240hp tractor that accounts for about half your annual sales? If you’re Fendt, you decide to change it.…

TRACTORS

On test: John Deere 7R 350 tractor

Not long ago, 350hp was the reserve of tracklayers and equal-wheeled prairie monsters strictly employed on tilling and drilling duties, but a new breed of high-horsepower conventional wheeled tractors is…

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

Linkage-mounted mudguard options to reduce mud splatter

Factory-fitted fenders might do a half decent job of keeping your tractor clean, but they offer implements little protection against being pebble-dashed with mud, road grime and stones. This is…

TRACTORS

Video: 400hp reverse-drive Valtra S-series on test

Valtra has finally let its heavyweight S-series loose on the 400hp tractor scene and, armed with lorry loads of torque, a proven driveline and a redesigned cab, promises to unsettle…

401+HP

Video: Fendt's 943 MT twin-track crawler on test

Agco has breathed new life into its flailing twin-track fleet with a major rebranding and upgrading exercise for the long-in-the-tooth Challenger tractors. And the firm’s prairie monster range needed some…

MACHINERY

Fendt 516 Vario on test

Power Farming Verdict: 4.6/5 Fendt tractors always seem to perform well in our in-depth tests and the 516 was no exception. It topped the scorecard for technical ability and driver…

MACHINERY

Driven: New Holland T4 and T5

What's new? Engine & gears Cab Loader T5 pics The T4 Verdict Prices With more makes and models on the market than you could shake a stick at, choosing which…

MACHINERY

Video: First drive: Fendt’s 415hp 942 Vario

Fendt has spent the past decade tightening its grip on the high-horsepower tractor market, to the point that it now claims one-third of all new tractor sales above 200hp. But…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: Steam-powered tractors

Britain once led the world in developing agricultural steam power, with stationary engines arriving on farms in the 1790s, followed later by portable and traction engines as well as cable-operated…

MACHINERY

110hp tractor test: Zetor Forterra HSX 110

Power Farming Verdict: 3.1/5 In many ways the Czech’s spec is generous – there’s four pto speeds and automatic powershifts – and it’s also pretty manoeuvrable. But the cab remains…

Tractor technology

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TRACTORS

New Holland T7 Methane tractor offers range and performance

New Holland has unveiled a prototype T7 Methane Power tractor that runs on a liquified version of the gas to give longer working times to a fill. Thanks to the…

TRACTORS

Fendt Helios swaps diesel engine for hydrogen fuel cell

Efforts to create a greener future for farm machinery have spawned myriad tractors with alternative powertrains, one of which is the Helios from Fendt. Based on a 700-series tractor frame,…

TRACTORS

Yanmar launches small autonomous tractors

Japanese maker Yanmar has finished the development of its fully autonomous tractor, working together with Hokkaido University. The so-called Robot Tractor is available now and can work alone or as…

Road legal

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MACHINERY

Tractors on the road: don't ignore the road rules

All rules and regulations tend to get a bit outdated at some point or other. However some of the road regulations affecting tractor drivers and their employers were probably drawn…

Tractor insights and practical advice

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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

Linkage-mounted mudguard options to reduce mud splatter

Factory-fitted fenders might do a half decent job of keeping your tractor clean, but they offer implements little protection against being pebble-dashed with mud, road grime and stones. This is…

TRACTORS

Machinery Milestones: Steam-powered tractors

Britain once led the world in developing agricultural steam power, with stationary engines arriving on farms in the 1790s, followed later by portable and traction engines as well as cable-operated…

TRACTORS

Fendt tractors: Common problems and how to fix them

It might be the premium brand of choice for large-scale farms and contracting businesses, but just like any other maker, Fendt’s tractors can suffer the odd mechanical gremlin. Engine problems…

MACHINERY

Tips for buying a 350hp Cat Challenger C-series on a budget

Shopping for a 350hp tractor with less than £30,000 in your back pocket brings up precious few options in the UK. But if you keep your eyes peeled you might…

ARABLE

Analysis: Could technology kill off diesel tractors?

Car manufacturers are making great strides in electric drive technology and the death of diesel and petrol engines will be seen as early as 2019 for one major manufacturer. Volvo…

TRACTORS

£50k Sabanto Steward kit gets Fendt 700 working autonomously

Long, lonely hours spent cultivating, drilling and mowing could be a thing of the past with the advent of a plug-in kit that can get any autosteer-ready tractor operating autonomously.…

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…

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Tractor cab filters: are you protected?

Most operators and farmers will be well aware of the potential risks that working with agricultural chemicals brings, but with the right precautions, users will be kept free from any…

TRACTORS

6 simple, low-cost loader tractor options

In the small loader tractor sector, the demand is for simple, reliable tractors that will get the job done with minimal expense. Most of the big manufacturers offer models to…

Video

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401+HP

Video: On test - John Deere 8400R

Over the past couple of decades, tracked tractors have established themselves as the go-to cultivations power source for many 500ha-plus arable growers, thanks to their ability to skip lightly across…

MACHINERY

VIDEO: Tour around New Holland's Ad Blue T6

[fwi_vidyard code="BkCL2t0KIs24emNHXNG-AA"] Watch New Holland's T6 product specialist Mark Howell's&nbsptalk about how the machine uses Ad Blue to meet Tier 4 emissions regulations

TRACTORS

Video: 400hp reverse-drive Valtra S-series on test

Valtra has finally let its heavyweight S-series loose on the 400hp tractor scene and, armed with lorry loads of torque, a proven driveline and a redesigned cab, promises to unsettle…

401+HP

Video: Fendt's 943 MT twin-track crawler on test

Agco has breathed new life into its flailing twin-track fleet with a major rebranding and upgrading exercise for the long-in-the-tooth Challenger tractors. And the firm’s prairie monster range needed some…