TRACTOR TEST: When it comes to style, the 221kW/301hp X8.631 with its lush red paintwork is a real head-turner. And it doesn’t have to be shy about its test attributes, either. Read on to find out why the big Mc proved to be a bit of a bitchy diva.
Regardless of whether it’s the sinister matt black rims, the deep red metallic paint or the slick bonnet, like the X7 (profi 9/2021), the X8 is something
of a stunner. And a lot of the hardware under the panels is equally impressive.
Starting out with the six-cylinder, 6.7-litre FPT motor, the ZF-sourced TMT 32 stepless transmission and the hydraulic component from Bosch, Argo has done everything right for its entry into the high-profile 300hp tractor market with its big key models, the X8.627 (199kW/270hp) and tested X8.631 (221kW/301hp). Given the mentioned top drawer components, we were keen to see how the McCormick glue would perform at the DLG test centre, the first port of call for
our in-depth test.
Apart from the criticism that McCormick never mentions the 301hp rated power in its brochure, but just talks about the 310hp maximum power, the promised stats are on the ball. On the dyno, 191.1kW/256.3hp arrived at the pto at rated speed and even 211.5kW/283.6hp at maximum speed. And since McCormick doesn’t muddy achieved performance waters with a power boost, the max drawbar power of 186.7kW/250.4hp is also really impressive.
And what about its fuel economy? Specific diesel consumption on the pto dyno is 244g/kWh and 232g/kWh respectively plus the 25.8 and 22.2g/kWh of AdBlue. These may not be record figures in terms of economy, but they are reasonable. The same applies to the 265g/kWh at maximum pulling power — a decent value for a tractor with a CVT.
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