A few years ago, Agco’s Fendt brand discontinued production of its 800 Series tractors after the introduction of the Gen 7, 700 Series models. That left a bit of a horsepower gap near the upper end of the line.
At the Commodity Classic farm show in Texas in February, the brand backfilled that gap with the North American reintroduction of the new and improved Gen5 800 Vario Series.
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“The big differences on this 800 Series compared to the previous one is it’s a little higher horsepower, so it will go up to 320 … and it has all the characteristics of the bigger machines on a smaller chassis,” says Brandon Montgomery, Fendt’s brand manager.
WHY IT MATTERS: This release shores up the range of horsepower options available to Fendt partisans in Canadian farming.
There are now three 800 Series models: an 826, 829 and 832. They span the 260 to 320 horsepower range.
“Then you’re getting an additional roughly 20 horsepower on top of that for DynamicPower,” adds Montgomery.
“As soon as you get into p.t.o. loads, hydraulic loads, transport loads, you get the extra DynamicPower to go with that.”
The 800s now come with a new 8.0-litre Agco Power CORE engine under the hood. The Core family of engines began debuting some time ago, and this all-new 8.0-litre engine makes its debut in these tractors.
Core engines are capable of burning alternative fuels such as hydrogenated vegetable oil with minimal modifications. The basic principle of the Core concept is the same basic, or core, engine block can be made to work with multiple fuels.
“It will eventually run other (fuel) technologies as well,” says Montgomery.
“With very few changes and adjustments, it can be modified for that. That’s why we called it Core. The core is always the same.”
This engine stays with the Fendt iD low-engine-speed, high-torque concept the brand offers in other bigger tractor lines. Peak torque is in the 1,250 to 1,300 r.p.m. range with maximum r.p.m. at 1,700.
The new 800 Series pack a lot of horsepower and capacity into a comparatively compact package.
“It has all the characteristics of the bigger machines on a smaller chassis,” says Montgomery.
To deliver that power to the ground, the 800s get the VarioDrive system, which was originally introduced on the 1000 Series. A CVT transmission delivers power to both the front and rear axles as needed. The tractor will automatically increase front wheel speed to pull the tractor around a corner, avoiding the scrubbing that often occurs on MFWD drivelines.
“We call it VarioDrive, because it’s an evolution of the Fendt CVT,” he adds.
“The difference between CVT and VarioDrive is it’s all-encompassing of the four-wheel drive as well. As an operator, you never touch the four-wheel drive.”
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Hydraulic capacity is improved on the new 800s, too. Two pumps are available, a 43.5 g.p.m. (165 l/mn) and 58 g.p.m. (220. l/mn). Tractors can also be ordered with both pumps to get a combined flow rate of 101.5 g.p.m. (385 l/mn).
Another key feature of these tractors is their track widths are now compatible with 30-inch row cropping, a feature the original 800 Series didn’t offer due to its wider frame. That initially hamstrung their popularity with row-crop producers.
The new 800s now use the same cab as the larger tractors, offering upgraded operator comfort.
“New cab, new frame, new payloads,” says Montgomery.
“VarioDrive technology and the VarioGrip tire inflation system — all the latest in technology in terms of our guidance system is all unlocked on that series.”
Updated 500 series
The 800s weren’t the only new Fendts to debut at the Texas show. Agco also pulled the wraps off its Gen4 version of the 500 Vario Series.
Arguably the most unexpected update for the smaller 500s is the introduction of the VarioDrive system, which had only been available on its big brothers.
“We’re cascading that feature down, even to the new 500 Series,” says Montgomery.
“That was the big change in the 500 series.”
However, it’s not the only change.
The Deutz four-cylinder diesels used in the previous generation give way to another of Agco’s all-new Core engines, this time a 5.0-litre and another brand new introduction. As seems to be the case with every recent new model update from every major brand, these tractors also get a horsepower boost.
“You have a range from 130 to 174 horsepower,” says Montgomery. “You have four models, 513, 514, 515 and 516, covering 130 to 160 and you have an extra 10 horsepower with DynamicPower added on top.”
The 500s get a slightly smaller cab than the 800s, but they, too, can be filled with all of the brand’s high-end technology.
