Last July, during a global press conference streamed live online from Fendt Headquarters in Marktoberdorf, Germany, AGCO’s premiere brand promised North American farmers they would soon see the Fendt 300 series tractors arrive on these shores. In August, the brand followed through on that promise and announced the utility class 300 series models are now available for order, with the first models scheduled to arrive at dealers early this year.
The four-model 300 series offer engine horsepower ratings from 100 to 132. The largest model, the 314, also gets the DynamicPerformance power boost intelligent sensor technology, which automatically boosts rated engine horsepower by 10 when it detects excessive demand, pushing its top power rating up to 142 ponies.
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Just as with the slightly larger 500 series, the 300s put high horsepower in a small package to create a more versatile tractor package. For example, the 314 has an empty weight of 11,045 pounds (5,009 kilograms), giving it a power-to-weight ratio of just 83 pounds per horsepower. That’s a lot less than the industry rule of thumb of around 100 pounds per horsepower. But if an owner wants to, it can still be ballasted up to 18,739 pounds (8,500 kilograms).
“AGCO is focused on providing the solutions our customers need. As we expand the Fendt offering throughout North America, we now have the 300 Gen4 series tractor for customers who need a smaller tractor with the technology and capabilities only Fendt can deliver,” says David Soliday, AGCO senior tactical marketing manager for tractors.
Under the hood in all models in the series is a 4.4-litre AGCOPower diesel engine mated to the brand’s pride and joy CVT transmission, the Vario. And with a long options list that includes an astonishing 210 available features, the brand calls the 300 series a “made-to-order” tractor line, with good reason.
As part of that large options list, the 300 series models combine their compact power with a range of high-tech features that have previously only been available on the brand’s larger models.
“These tractors can be ordered with features all the way up to those that even a 1000 series would have for precision agriculture, guidance and ISOBUS,” says Soliday. “All those features are easily added.”
The cab offers some high-end comfort and ergonomic design to make life easier for the operator, too.
“The FendtONE cab allows each operator to customize the tractor to individual preferences for each chore. The buttons are all colour-coded to the functions they control; for example, hydraulic buttons are blue,” Soliday says. “And, to give operators more flexibility, white buttons on the control panel and joystick can be programmed to control tractor or implement functions based on the operator’s preference.
“The 300 Vario Gen4 tractors are equipped to handle a full range of front and rear implements,” he adds. “Specifically, they are designed to withstand the constant reversing and speed changes required for loader work.”
