Tractor of the Year 2018, Valtra's double success
The inaugural day of Agritechnica saw the awarding of the Tractor of the Year prize. A jury of 24 journalists from the leading European farming equipment magazines selected the best model in terms of performance, ergonomics, comfort and technological content in each of the four competing categories. The most prized award went to the Valtra T254 Versu Smart Touch
The Tractor of the Year 2018 is the Valtra T254 Versu Smart Touch. For the Finnish brand, awarded the prize at Agritechnica on opening day, this is an absolute first, since until now it had never been awarded this prestigious award.
The award was won by the model that most of all can be considered as the flagship of the T Series (more than twenty in total, in Active, Direct, HiTech5, Versu versions); a range of machines valued for comfort, versatility and eye-catching design (not surprisingly, the T254 Versu Smart Touch was also awarded the Best of Design title). Available with a rear-view system and SkyView cab (offering optimum visibility in the rear of the tractor), the T254 Versu Smart Touch is powered by a sturdy 7.4 litre AGCO engine delivering up to 270 horsepower.
The Versu electro-hydraulic transmission, with precise gear shifts and lively torque (up to 7% more than the previous T models), comes standard, as does the SmartTouch user interface, which was also awarded the Red Dot Design Award last April.
“The SmartTouch - we read in a technical note from the Finnish brand - is characterized by an integrated technology that includes the Guidance, Isobus, AgControl and TaskDoc systems, while the new armrest, designed to be even more efficient, not only increases productivity with any tractor-application combination, but also reduces the operator’s workload.”
Additionally, with the SmartTouch, every user can set up a custom profile and recall configurations quickly and easily using the touchscreen.
Moving on to the other categories, the McCormick X6.440 VT-Drive won the Best of Utility.
The jury, composed of journalists of 24 European magazines specializing in agricultural mechanization, was swayed primarily by the continuous transmission, designed for top performance and enhanced with the 12-inch touchscreen DSM intuitive interface.
Among the strong points of the McCormick X6.440 VT-Drive, it is worth mentioning the sturdy four-cylinder FPT Tier 4 Final, one of the most powerful engines in the medium power segment.
The Best of Specialized 2018 category was dominated by the Fendt 211 Vario V, a machine designed for farms that focus on quality productions.
The specialized of the German brand comes with a three-cylinder Agco Power, equipped with an external exhaust recirculation system (AgRex) and Doc catalyst.
The benefits of the 211 Vario V include a reversible radiator fan, the VarioActive system (reduces steering wheel revolutions to achieve maximum steering), the 104 litre-per-minute load-sensing pump, the pneumatic electronic control system for the trailer brake.
Finally, worthy of mention, the latest generation technologies adopted by the Fendt model, the advanced automatic differential disengagement system and the double traction dependent on the steering angle.
In short, even in the Best of Specialized category, the international jury rewarded a machine with innovative technical content, latest generation solutions designed to improve productivity and ergonomics.
