As the National Farm Machinery show approached, held annually in February in Louisville, Ky., ag equipment manufacturers began pulling the wraps off of some of the year’s newest machine introductions that would be displayed there for the first time.
Among those brands with something new to bring to the show floor and to talk about with visitors was Germany-based Claas.
It pulled the wraps off of its “next-generation” Xerion tractor line, which features a number of performance upgrades that will appeal to those producers in North America looking for a premium high-horsepower tractor.
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There will continue to be two models of the uniquely designed Xerions, the 4500 and 5000, offering 435 and 530 horsepower, respectively.
At the heart of the updates is the new four-range Eccom 5.5 transmission. According to Claas, it’s better able to deliver engine torque to the wheels, and it’s capable of moving the Xerions down the road at 50 kilometres per hour with low engine r.p.m.
The Eccom 5.5 also enables a much higher hydraulic flow than the Eccom 4.5 and 5.0 transmissions it replaces.
It can supply up to 111 gallons per minute (420 litres/minute) when equipped with the optional tandem pump arrangement, and it can supply that flow to up to six rear SCV valves. Up to two spool valves can be supplied with a high flow rate of 37 gallons per minute (140 litres per minute) with standard load-sensing working hydraulics.
That should be more than adequate for large air seeders, which have high hydraulic demands. And the Xerion’s designers had other specialty implements in mind when deciding on the hydraulic specs for the new generation models.
For specialty applications, the brand says Xerions offer “a separate and optimized 120-horsepower hydraulic system with 66 gallons per minute (250 litres per minute) at 3,770 psi is available for attachments such as manure tanks and front-mounted implements requiring high-horsepower hydraulics.”
“We designed the Xerion to be our customers’ favoured choice for true tractor capability,” said Frans Reijmers, Claas tractor product manager, in a press release. “The enhancements to 2023 models build on its core strengths and provide the power, a better balance in the design and operator confidence that makes tackling those all-day, tough jobs more convenient than ever.”
Model year 2023 tractors will also come with a new base plate mounted behind the cab that can be used in the “intelligent ballast” concept. It can hold an 882-pound (400 kilogram) base weight plate.
Overall, the Xerions can be ballasted up to an additional 15,432 pounds if needed to maximize traction. Depending on the application, that ballast can be arranged to create a true fifty-fifty weight distribution for both axles.
Both the Trac Xerion version, which has a fixed cab position, and the Trac VC, which offers a reversible cab, will get the upgrades.
The 2023 model year tractors will also get a special 25th anniversary decal.
