Fendt’s new 700 Vario series tractors due out in ’23

Farm equipment manufacturer Agco is planning to have its new Fendt 700 Vario tractor series with an “even more efficient” powertrain ready for delivery in the new year.

Agco on Aug. 26 said the new version, which introduces “a new design, engine, and technical innovations” to that range, will make its debut at the Farm Progress Show (U.S.), running next week (Aug. 30 to Sept. 1) north of Des Moines. The new units will then be available for order through Fendt dealerships in North America for delivery in 2023.

The new Fendt units “are the perfect combination of strength, agility, functionality and comfort, making them ideal for everything from haying and livestock work to heavy-duty field or fleet operations,” David Soliday, Fendt’s senior tactical marketing manager, said in a release.

The Fendt 700 Vario tractors — available in five models ranging from 203 to 283 rated engine hp — will run on the company’s Agco Power 7.5-litre engine, providing “a high-performance range without compromising on the efficiency for which the series is well-known,” Agco said.

“All components, such as the engine, transmission, hydraulics and cooling system, are designed to achieve impressive torque even at low engine speeds to ensure high tractive power and acceleration strength with lower fuel consumption and extended service life.”

The new units’ single-range Fendt VarioDrive transmission provides an “entirely seamless operating experience” from 65 feet per hour up to 33 miles per hour. The drive train eliminates the need for manual switching when changing between field and road operations, and it drives the front and rear axles as needed and distributes the power dynamically, the company said.

“In the field, full tractive force is available, and stresses are avoided when driving on roads or curves. The ‘pull-in-turn’ effect pulls the machine into the curve during turns, resulting in a particularly small turning radius with full tractive power and less soil compaction.”

The new units are operated via a multifunction joystick (and the 3L joystick in FendtONE) and come with a 10-inch digital dashboard and 12-inch terminal on the armrest as standard. Functions such as the Fendt Guide guidance system, the automatic Fendt Section Control or Fendt Variable Rate Control are displayed on “individually assignable” tiles in the terminals.

Like other Fendt tractors, the new units’ hydraulic system is “completely independent and self-contained” from other tractor functions such as the transmission, steering valves and cooling fan and now allows for full use of up to five rear and two front hydraulic remotes, Agco said.

The VarioGrip tire pressure regulation system already offered on larger Fendts will be an available option for the new series, Agco said, allowing operators in the field to increase tires’ contact area with the ground and boost tractive power by up to eight per cent — or to raise the air pressure when driving the tractor on-road, improving the ride and tire longevity.