Antonio Carraro’s Tony 8900 R tractor combines several of the manufacturer’s most popular features and has already been recognised with an international award
Providing specialised tractors for orchardists has long been Antonio Carraro’s point of difference, with a range of targeted features designed for the unique needs of that sector.
Several of those most popular features – which have been refined over time – combine to create the Italian manufacturer’s Tony 8900 R tractor.
It has already caught the eye on an international scale too, with one of its configurations being named 2025 Tractor of the Year in the specialised category by European judges at the EIMA trade show.
That winning tractor was the Tony 8900 TRG, which offers bigger rear wheels as its point of difference from other configurations, with the others being the standard (8900 TR), articulated narrow (8900 SR) and wider wheelbase (8900 TTR).
Arguably the biggest feature of the Tony 8900 R range is its hydrostatic transmission.
This helps to make it extremely safe and responsive during operation, maintaining optimal speeds during all uses.
The transmission is constantly engaged and all the engine’s resources are fully utilised without interruption, meaning that the tractor’s forward movement is always fluid, even during a restart or in changes of speed and slope.
The absence of a clutch pedal makes operation smoother and more efficient, while also eliminating any chance of the tractor moving involuntarily.
“It is an extremely safe tractor for operators as if they do not accelerate, then the tractor is hydraulically locked,” Antonio Carraro Australia national sales manager Marco Corra says.
“It comes with a 50 litre per minute pump and very good set of hydraulics, which is extendable to 11 couplings at the back if paired with the electro proportional joystick.
“The electro proportional joystick function also allows the operator to switch ranges, switch direction, set cruise control and memory speed and RPM directly from the joystick as well as the basics of lowering and lifting the three-point linkage and give oil to any couplings of the machine.”
Another significant feature of the Tony 8900R range – and the reason for the R in its model number – is the reversible driving system.
Also present on some of the manufacturer’s other tractors, this unique system allows operators to rotate the driving position 180 degrees and work equally comfortably with front or rear implements.
According to Corra, the simplicity of driving the Tony 8900R is a particular benefit for orchardists as it allows them to have extra focus on the implements they are working with.
“This tractor requires very little attention from the operator to drive within the parameters that they want to drive, so an orchardist is able to focus more on the details of the attachment operation,” he says.
“If you have thousands of trees which you are pruning or cultivating and want to do a very good job, you’re detailing every individual tree according to its needs, so you are constantly adjusting the attachment.
“If the operators are focusing too much attention on to the gears of the tractor or the other aspects of driving, they’re going to leave behind the important aspects of the orchard which are the trees or the soil.
“Because this tractor is so intelligent, it can maintain the power of the attachment constantly and drive at the determined speed, which is why people buy this type of tractor.”
Feature packed
Another aspect which shows the Tony 8900R’s versatility is the different size configurations available.
At its narrowest, the SR model can be just 1.05m wide and fit inside the narrowest of rows, while the widest of the models – the wider wheelbase TTR – can go up to 1.9m wide.
It also maintains low soil compaction, thanks in part to its relatively low weight which Corra says is approximately 1.5 tonnes lighter than other tractors in the same size category.
This is particularly important for younger orchards, he says, where root expansion is crucial during the first two to three years after the trees are planted.
It is a 110hp tractor that has a 2,900kg rear lift capacity and 1,200kg front lift capacity – providing enough strength to handle the implements required by the sector.
It has similarities to two other tractors within Antonio Carraro’s stable.
One of these is the Mach 4 Tony, which is a similar concept in many ways but has tracks instead of wheels.
The other is the 7600 Infinity, which has a smaller hydrostatic unit but otherwise shares many commonalities.
When the Tony 8900 TRG was announced as the best specialised tractor by European journalists during the EIMA event, several other areas were highlighted including its “exceptional design, unparalleled versatility, and superior performance”.
Its turning radius of just 2.3m and narrow overall width were emphasised, along with the tractor’s comfortable and quiet cabin.
“Whether it’s integrated precision farming systems or additional equipment, the Tony 8900 TRG proves to be a cutting-edge solution for modern specialised agriculture,” the award jury said.
“In the end, the jury’s choice was clear: the Antonio Carraro Tony 8900 TRG is the best in its category for its combination of comfort, agility, and versatility, perfectly responding to the unique challenges of specialised farming.”
Antonio Carraro’s full range can be viewed online at www.antoniocarraro.it/au
