While virtually all of the equipment at today’s Grass & Muck is new – or practically new – there are some old-school machines vying for a slice of the action.
New Holland is never one to shun its roots (either on the blue-liveried Ford side of the family, or the terracotta-coloured Fiat branch). It has brought some classic Fiat-designed tractors, for what is shaping up to be a bright, sunny day.
Pictured above is a 110-90 – notable for its Grassmen decals. The 110-90 has amassed what can only be described as a cult following in many parts of Ireland.
Also Read: Fondly-remembered Fiats: An ‘irreverent’ look at the 110-90 and F (Winner) Series…What’s more; this is not the only 110-90 on-site – or even on New Holland’s own stand. Pictured below (in the background) is another example of this enduring model.
In the foreground (in this picture) is another Fiat – but one of truly ‘vintage’ proportions. It manages without a stepless (CVT) or even a powershift transmission.
It does, nonetheless, boast front axle suspension – courtesy of some god-fearing leaf springs (robustly slung underneath its beefy front-end).
New-look mowers and rakes
At the newer end of the scale on New Holland’s exhibit – and equally eye-catching – are the company’s new-look mowers and rakes.
This development follows on from New Holland’s acquisition of Kongskilde Agriculture – a deal that was completed last year (2017).
New Holland has started the gradual integration of Kongskilde’s agricultural implements into its own product offering.
It – or rather its parent company CNH Industrial – had confirmed its intention to acquire the ‘grass’ and ‘soil’ equipment lines of Kongskilde as early as October of 2016.
This chunk of Kongskilde’s business comprised of a factory in Poland and another in Sweden, plus other facilities. The deal has now given New Holland access to a wider range of machinery and implements – equipment that was previously offered under a variety of brand-names, including Kongskilde, Overum, JF and even Howard.
The first of these were seen on New Holland’s stand at Agritechnica in Hanover, Germany, last November. Today’s Grass & Muck event serves as the official Irish launch.