New Holland launched a completely new series of T7 tractors last autumn which have been designated the XD models and are said to have been designed to accommodate the demands of large scale farmers and contractors.

According to the company the T7 XD represents a new high-hp category in the New Holland tractor line-up, with three models in the over 350hp bracket.

The new models start with the 360hp T7.360 XD, followed by the 390hp T7.390 XD and the 435hp T7.440 XD topping out the range.

Tried and trusted engine

They are all designed around a Stage V 8.7-litre FPT Cursor 9 six-cylinder engine mounted on a structural sump which reduces vibration and allows for a narrower waist.

Having the engine as a stress bearing component of the tractor's design is a feature that engineers have moved away from over the years due to torsional forces distorting the block and so degrading the seal of the piston rings.

New Holland's return to this method of construction suggests that they are confident in the rigidity of the new sump and place a greater emphasis on manoeuvrability, even in larger tractors, than has been the case so far.

T7 XD, a tractor for all occasions

According to New Holland the latest arrangement possesses the flexibility to perform operations from ballasted heavy draft work to high payload haulage and combination front/rear implement tasks.

The engine which features an electronic variable-geometry turbocharger to help maximise fuel efficiency, has already been proven in New Holland's existing line up of high-hp tractors

While we are used to seeing technological advances trickling down from high end models, in the case of these new machines the virtues of compact design and versatility are seeping up from the smaller end of the market.

New Holland explains that the power to weight ratio characteristics of its T7 family have been extended into the high horsepower segment making the new machines suitable for heavy field work, PTO and hydraulic tasks.

Fit for transport work

The flat power curve is said to ensure that maximum power is always available, while peak torque is delivered at 1,400rpm, with the transmission electronically utilising this low engine speed figure to minimise fuel consumption.

A 680-litre fuel tank is 13% bigger than on T7 HD tractors, while the Cursor engine’s service interval is extended to 750hrs, 50% longer than some other tractors in this sector.

The revised AutoCommand CVT transmission now offers a 60kph top speed to reduce road travel time and fuel use through operation at lower engine rpm.

Should it suit the application, a stepped manual control feature allows operation in a powershift mode.

Other features include a central tyre inflation, new suspended axle and cab for greater comfort, and new front/rear linkages in addition to a revised hydraulic system for greater work capacity.