New Holland has always blended innovative technology and practical experience in the design and development of its machinery. Cereals 2006 will showcase the brand's flagship T8000 tractor and CR980 and CX880 combines, as well as presenting a classic M103 combine which was built in 1964 that has been in work until 2004.
"New Holland creates sophisticated machinery and we are renowned for using the latest proven technologies to assist the operator and boost productivity," explains Adrian Woods, New Holland product marketing specialist. "But it is essential that the mechanical fundamentals are right too. The M103 has provided over 40 seasons of service. Reliability is as important to us as the latest precision farming techniques."
The presence of the M103 combine is part of the brand's 100 year celebration of combine production in Zedelgem, Belgium. 27,000 M103 combines were produced by the factory between 1958 and 1966 and this model will form part of a display charting the New Holland's combining legacy.
In contrast to the M103, capable of 6 tonnes per hour (wheat), the high capacity CX and CR combines illustrate just how far harvesting technology has come. The CR980, for example, features twin-rotor technology that offers 55 tonnes per hour (wheat) harvesting capacity at the same time as providing excellent fuel efficiency and a very high quality grain samples. The CX860 and CX880 and the CR960 and CR980 also benefit from improved engine horsepower and torque delivery settings which give more available power for harvest, improving performance once again. The CR has continued to grow in popularity to such an extent production has now moved from the Grand Island manufacturing facility in North America, to the European Harvesting Centre of Excellence manufacturing plant in Zedelgem Belgium.
The Varifeed Series header features an adjustable cutterbar which can be moved 50cm fore and aft. Controlled from the cab, the cutterbar is positioned close to the feeding auger for short-strawed crops but can be extended forward for long-strawed crops and rapeseed. Overlapping base plates at the bottom of the header means no filler plates are required and adjustment can be made on the move, ensuring an optimum feed is always achieved. Both CR and CX combines can be specified with 20, 24 or 30ft versions of the Varifeed Series headers to provide capacity and control in the widest range of crops. When the Varifeed is married to the CR980, it arguably becomes the pinnacle of combining excellence available today.
Complementing the big capacity of the CR and CX combines, the new T8000 tractor represents the benchmark in high horsepower tractors. The T8000 range, which replaces the TG Series, consists of three models with three new engines that offer maximum power outputs of 281-337hp (ISO 14396). The tractors include a new 19x4 Ultra Command™ transmission that gives smooth, clutchless gear changes from first to nineteenth gear. Available in both 50 kph and 40kph Economy versions, the 40kph top speed is achieved by limiting the engine speed, providing essential fuel savings.
The T8000 is available with a new IntelliView™ monitor as part of the operator's armrest control console. Linked into the tractor's CAN BUS system, this can be used to control and monitor systems on compatible implements via an ISOBUS connection.
As befits New Holland's flagship tractor, operator comfort has received special attention with the latest T8000 being fitted with a new heated seat, available in semi-active specification, and an improved climate control system, vital for long hours behind the wheel in all conditions.
