Big things are being expected of Stage IIIB-compliant tractors, namely substantial savings in fuel consumption. This month we test the first of a new breed of emission-friendly prime movers, the 191kW/260hp (ECE R24) Fendt Vario 828
IThe Fendt Vario 828 represents an important marker for profi. It’s the first Stage IIIB tractor to be subjected to our in-depth testing protocol and, hopefully, should also be able to add some stat substance to SCR’s considerable claim bones – that Selective Catalytic Reduction offers reduced running costs and improved performance. More of a range filler than a replacement for the physically smaller Stage IIIA 818 and 820, the 800 Vario ECE R24 180-260hp newcomers measure 50cm longer, 25cm higher and also a tad wider as well as climbing the horsepower ladder.
So far in the UK and Ireland it has been the 826 and 828 models that have accounted for the majority of sales, with Fendt adding that most owners are migrating from other tractor breeds that found the smaller old-style 820 lacking in stature for their proposed workload and didn’t want to make the jump to the significantly heavier 900-series. With a mix of mainly arable and contractor owners, the 800 models are being asked to undertake a broad range of tasks, from powering reversedrive mowers to lugging cultivators, and some owners, perhaps surprisingly, have even fitted frontend loaders. The higher 60km/hr on-road speed has also been seen as a plus for ag haulage operations.
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