At the top end of the John Deere Gator range, the new 2006 HPX 4x4 Diesel model is designed to work in any environment, but is especially suitable for farming, rough terrain, heavy duty haulage and commercial applications. It is now available from the John Deere agricultural dealer network in the UK and Ireland.
'Gator' stands for General All-purpose Turf and Off-Road vehicle. These two-seater machines are ruggedly designed for all kinds of transporting, loading, hauling, dumping and general materials handling duties. They are agile and light on their feet, with a low centre of gravity for extra safety and stability, and a good power to weight ratio.
Powered by a 20hp Yanmar Tier 2 diesel engine, the HPX 4x4 Gator is now available with true on-demand four wheel drive. A dash-mounted electronic rocker switch controls an auto-locking front differential for extra traction when needed in challenging conditions, or to maintain two wheel drive for lighter turf operations, for example.
The new HPX is also equipped as standard with improved all wheel suspension, front and rear hydraulic disc brakes, rear diff lock, two speed high-low continuously variable transmission and an integrated four post ROPS canopy, which can be fitted up to a full deluxe glass cab if required.
The vehicle is based on a heavy duty hydroformed steel frame for increased durability, and is capable of travelling at speeds of up to 25mph. It also features improved steering, a 409kg steel cargo box, a payload/towing capacity of 590kg and a 12V DC outlet.
Optional attachments for the HPX Gator include a wide range of tyres, a road homologation kit, rear hitch, utility trailer, front and rear blades and a winch. An optional heavy-duty front suspension kit is also available for use with the full cab and/or front blade.
Other manufacturers, such as Logic Manufacturing of Hexham and TFM Engineering of Kendal, sell a number of specialist attachments to further increase the Gator's versatility. These include seeders, sprayers, spreaders, trailers, line markers, snow blowers, containers and tool holders.
UK base price of the new John Deere HPX 4x4 Diesel Gator utility vehicle, including canopy, is £8619 excluding VAT (12,637 euros in Ireland).
