At the Commodity Classic farm show in Houston in February, Case IH unveiled its new 2025 model year Magnum tractor line. And in keeping with the industry trend of horsepower creep-up, these tractors, too, see a few more ponies stabled under their hoods.
“The 380 and the 400 both get five additional horsepower,” says Morgan Dietrich, tractor segment lead for Case IH in North America. “Everything else in the large frame, starting at 250 and larger, they get 15. Our No. 1 seller is the 340. And that will now be a 355.”
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But the tractors will still get that power from what the brand calls the Cursor 9-litre diesel — which, technically speaking, has an 8.7-litre displacement.
The 355 will also get a new transmission: a 21F x 5R power shift, which will be included in its base equipment list.
“That had only been available in the 400 before,” added Deitrich. “We changed the rear end on the 340 — which is now the 355 — to enable this improved power shift transmission that has brake-to-clutch capability.”
The new transmission offering will make the 355 compatible with future autonomous operating systems, by simplifying what’s required to make that workable when Case IH eventually offers it.
“It really kind of future-proofs the tractor,” he said. “Long-term, when we have those controls, like brake-to-clutch, it allows the electronics to have a little more control of the transmission than our current generation. We don’t have autonomy features on it today, but it enables that capability in the future.”
Another significant change for the Magnums will be in how the brand offers technology packages for them. Where currently, buyers can pick and choose their preferred individual features, for 2025, digital features will instead come in two complete package options.
“The big thing is we’re really pushing in on our technology messaging around model year ’25,” said Dietrich. “So, we will now have tech bundles that we haven’t had in the past, where it’s been more of an a la carte situation.
“We’re going to have Core, which would be our base offering, where we’re going to put our Vector Pro receiver in base. And we’re also going to move to AFS 1 guidance correction. That’s a 40 per cent increase in guidance accuracy versus what our base offering was last year.
“For customers that need a little bit more, they can move up to the advanced package — and that has an RTK unlock in the Vector Pro receiver, and it also offers dual display, where we bring more screen real estate into the cab to make it easier for them to run their implements.
“It really is a one-two punch of what best fits a customer’s operation. With these tech changes we’re making, it’s simpler for the dealer and easier for the customer, and it’s even easier for the second and third buyer to know what technology is on this machine when they go to purchase it.”
Both option packages use the AFS Pro 1200 monitor, but the difference will be in what features are unlocked.
At the rear, the Magnums will adopt the hydraulic coupler design with levers, as used on their larger brothers in the Steiger line.
“We had different hydraulic couplers (on the Magnums and Steigers),” Dietrich. “Now, we’re aligning them between these two machines. The large-frame Magnums will get the same hydraulic couplers customers have been using on Steigers for the last several years. It makes it easier to hook and unhook. And it’s simpler having more continuity across the platforms.”
Steiger Quadtracs can now ride on redesigned suspension
In early February, Case IH revealed it will give operators of model year 2025 Steiger four-wheel drive Quadtrac tractors an option for a smoother ride, especially during road transport — and they’ll spend less time on the road, with a faster 26.5 m.p.h. (40 km-h) travel speed.
Those advantages will come thanks to a new HDS suspension system for the track modules, which will be an option on 2025 Steiger Quadtracs.
“We have a new track system on the Steiger four-wheel drive,” said Morgan Dietrich, tractor segment lead for Case IH in North America. “At the National Farm Machinery Show we released the HDS, Heavy Duty Suspension. Now we have a fully active hydraulic suspension system on our Steigers with a faster transport speed.
“We have a longer track that helps with heat dissipation. And the big thing there is long-term durability of not only the tractor, but the operator. We have a 40 per cent reduction in vibration at the operator’s seat in transport. We’re taking those big jolts and jostles out of the whole tractor. We’re sucking it up in that suspension system of the tracks.”
HDS has greaseless design with a load sharing hydraulic suspension and self-tensioning tracks. The brand expects to begin accepting model year 2025 tractor orders around June this summer.
