TRACTOR TEST: Last year we had a walk around the new generation Puma to see what Case IH’s engineers had been up to. Our conclusion: while the Stage IV engine may have determined the deadline for rolling out the new models, the biggest difference for operators will be the much improved accommodation.
Stand-out feature on the new Puma certainly has to be the updated cab, or at least that was what stood out to us when the CVX 175 turned up ready for profi test action. According to the brochure stats it should be good for 132kW/180hp at rated and then climb to a maximum of 166kW/225hp.
To see if the tractor would live up to its maker’s promises we passed the Puma on to the DLG. Here the 6.7-litre, Stage IV-compliant, FPT engine pushed 105kW/141hp out to the shaft when revving at its rated speed of 2,200rpm. As the lump started to lug down to 1,700rpm it hit its max of 126kW/169hp. Bringing a little extra is the boost function which kicks in during pto work over 0.5km/hr (even in reverse) or during transport jobs when romping along at over 15km/hr. On the test bench the Puma reached 122kW/164hp at rated and nearly 144kW/193hp at maximum — a better match for the claimed 166kW/225hp. But the power curve looked even better with nearly 55% torque rise at 32% speed drop and 123% start-off torque — all tip-top results.
