While Agco has been busy expanding the global reach of its Fendt brand over the past decade, it has been adding more machines to the Fendt product line too, with the stated intention of making it a full-line brand. It has also been steadily making more of the tractor models it offers to European farmers available in North America.
Over a year ago, the brand revealed it had updated its popular 200 Vario series tractor line, which was only available in Europe, and created a new, second-generation version.
The new generation models first hit the European market in January of 2022, and the brand promised those new tractors would eventually come to North America too. Now they have.
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When Fendt executives revealed that intention during a press conference, they said the compact 200s have been so popular with farmers and others that they account for roughly 20 per cent of the Fendt factory’s overall production numbers.
Making tractors that were designed to be sold in Europe available here requires considerably more than just loading them on a boat and shipping them over.
Some engineering standards on the other side of the Atlantic differ from those here. The direction of rotation of the PTO shaft, for instance, is not the same. Euro tractors must undergo a homologation process to re-engineer them to meet North American requirements.
With that process apparently completed, in February Agco announced the utility class 200 Vario series is now ready to hit Canadian and the U.S. markets.
Available in Canada
On these shores, Fendt will offer three models with horsepower ratings from 94 to 114. Aside from being available in a general-purpose design, the 200s can also be ordered in three different specialty crop configurations, such as a narrow vineyard model.
“Agco is excited to introduce the Fendt 200 Vario series to North America and offer compact, lightweight and agile tractors that meet farmers’ rigorous demands,” says David Soliday, senior tactical marketing manager for Fendt tractors.
“We are also proud to offer specialty variants to farmers looking to realize the versatile benefits of the Fendt 200 Vario series for their vineyards, orchards and other specialty crops.”
The 200s come with Fendt’s signature Vario CVT transmission mated to an Agco Power 3.3-litre diesel engine.
The drivetrain is mounted on a contoured frame that allows for enhanced manoeuvrability and a high horsepower-to-weight ratio, giving them a light footprint. To help with that, the brand will offer a wide variety of tire options to match the tractor to most typical and specialty farm applications.
Agco has positioned Fendt as a premium brand, giving its machines the best of high-tech sophistication and comfort, and the 200 Varios will be no exception. The cabs on these smaller tractors don’t lack amenities, with a built-in refrigerator and a premium air conditioning system.
Anyone used to operating a larger Fendt will find the control arrangement familiar on the 200s. The brand’s go-to FendtOne operating concept gets integrated into these models. The workstation includes a panel with a multifunction joystick, multiple hydraulic controls and an optional 12-inch terminal.
The Fendt Gold Star Customer Care program is standard with all new Fendt tractors, including the 200s. This program includes a 36-month/3,000-hour limited warranty with no deductible and a maintenance program that covers all scheduled maintenance, including the cost of oil, filters, belts, and other maintenance items during the coverage period.
Each new tractor also receives Fendt Connect telematics service, which allows an operator or their dealer to monitor important machine data remotely, free of charge for five years. In the case of a breakdown, Fendt dealers will provide a loaner tractor if it takes more than 48 hours to complete a repair.
The 200 Vario tractors are available for order now, and delivery is expected to begin in 2024.
