80 years of Zetor tractors

This month marks the 80^th anniversary of the first Zetor tractor to leave the production line at the Zbrojovka factory in Brno in 1946.

Developed when tractors were needed after the end of the Second World War, 3,500 units of the 25A were made in the first year. Around 60% were sold overseas, the 26hp tractor was one of the most successful Czech export products.

The two cylinder engine in the 25A developed 26hp and the top speed was 32km/hr. Produced from 1946 to 1961, around 100,000 of the roughly 160,000 units made were exported.

In 1952, the company moved to a few miles to the current site in Brno-Líšeň, the second largest city in the Czech Republic. In the early-60s Zetor reckons to have been the first manufacturer to introduce the common component concept in the Unified I range, followed by the more powerful UŘ II series at the end of the 1960s.

In the heydays of the 1970s, tens of thousands of Zetor tractors left the Brno plant every year. The land area and staff numbers have scaled back since, but in the 70s the Brno plant covered 150ha, provided jobs for 15,000 and regularly produced around 30,000 tractors a year. It was during this period that the Czech manufacturer introduced the 160hp Crystal 12045, its first six-cylinder tractor.

The Crystal 12045 (Unified Series II) was Zetor’s first six-pot tractor and the first with a cab. It was in production from 1968 to 1981.

Claimed as the world’s first ‘quiet-cab’ (interior noise levels below 85dBA) the design won a gold medal at the 1968 French SIMA show. The UŘ III range was introduced in the 1990s, followed later by updated versions of the Proxima, Forterra, Major and Crystal series.

The turn of the century was a difficult period for Zetor, which found itself teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. The brand was saved when Slovakian company HTC Holding bought it in 2002.

There then began a modernisation of the ranges, the first visible sign of this was on display at the 2015 Agritechnica when the wraps came off the Pininfarina-concept. The Major HS 80, the first Zetor tractor to get the new look was seen in pre-production form at Agritechnica 2017.

More recently, the new Series 6 was introduced in 2025, and while Zetor did not attend last year’s Agritechnica there was a model at the show. We are informed that the new 6 will be followed by the equally new 5 Series (100 to 130hp) at some point.

Zetor also manufactures the Compax, Hortus, Major, Super, for non-emission markets including Mexico, Latin America, Africa and Asia, and also makes the VST 5011 for the Indian market.

The brand is looking to strengthen its position in global markets and return to regions where it historically had a strong presence. As part of the development of tractors for non-emission markets, it is working on a new range of cab tractors from 80–100hp.

Zetor tractors can be found in 100+ countries across all continents except Antarctica. The latest figure has not yet been released but in its 70^th anniversary year in 2016 Zetor reckoned to have made over 1.2 million tractors. As to current production numbers, the most recent figure we have is from a visit to the Brno factory in 2017 when around 3,000 tractors left the assembly line (5,000 in 2012).

Zetor will officially celebrate its 80th anniversary at the AgriShow exhibition in Brno in April, where a 6 Series tractor and a number of historic Zetor tractors will be on display.

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