With a redesigned cabin, new transmission technology and additional linkage options, Massey Ferguson’s 8S series is set for a stellar Aussie debut
When it comes to the new Massey Ferguson 8S tractor, Agco really went back to the drawing board.
The machine stands out in a paddock, not least for its classic Massey Ferguson red paint job, but for its unique design – something which the team at Agco describes as ‘a revolutionary design change’.
And if that doesn’t encapsulate the how the 8S is a new venture for Massey Ferguson’s design team, the following was the quote which was carried on the official press release upon its unveiling.
“Last November we were celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, which made the impossible become possible,” the statement from MF vice president and managing director, Europe & Middle East, Thierry Lhotte read.
“Now it is time to deliver that vision landing on earth.
“We are not launching just a tractor, but also marking a new era for our brand.”
While Lhotte’s proclamation was made in 2020 following its official public debut at Agritechnica 2019, Australians have been forced to wait for its official arrival Down Under.
The first unit touched down recently and made its official debut at FarmFest in Toowoomba in June. More units of the 8S are expected to arrive by early 2023, Agco says, however orders for the new 8S are open now.
So, what is so revolutionary about the new 8S? Well, one look at the tractor should say all one would need to know.
Paramount to its design is the all new Protect-U cab, which is now entirely separated from the engine base. By installing the 24cm gap between the cab and the engine base, operators are better insulated against noise, heat, and vibrations from the engine.
The result here is one of the quietest cabs in the market with noise levels of just 68dB at rated engine speed.
The gap also allows more air to draw into the engine and from a cleaner environment behind and beside the engine, according to Massey Ferguson product market manager Raph Hymus.
“It extends the maintenance window on the air filtration so that is the main advantage,” Hymus says.
The gap also makes it easier to perform maintenance and reduce downtime.
The cab itself has also gotten bigger. In contrast to the MF 8700S – the older brother of the 8S; where the A-pillars lean toward the operator – the A-pillars on the 8S are tilted forward, resulting in an interior volume of 3.4 cubic metres.
Operators are also provided more visibility with 6.6 square metres of glass windows inside the cab, and now don’t have the distraction of the dashboard sitting behind the steering wheel. Instead, Agco has found a new home for the digital MF vDisplay.
“They’ve also gone away from the centre-mounted dashboard, so you’re not looking through the steering wheel to view the tractor functions. Instead, that is all displayed on the A-pillars,” Hymus says.
Inside the cab, other enhancements have also been made. The MultiPad joystick control lever is new; so too is the Control Centre armrest.
Mechanical active cab suspension, which is programmable and responds to the movements of the tractor, further enhances the comfort of the 8S on executive models.
“This completely new design delivers the next level of straightforward and dependable tractors that operators asked for,” Lhotte said upon its release.
“They told us they need a tractor that is comfortable, with unrivalled visibility, efficient, easy to use and smart. Massey Ferguson has responded straight to the point with the MF 8S and the associated services.”
Massey Ferguson offers four different models in the 8S product line-up, ranging from 205 horsepower (152.8kW) in the smaller 8S.205 through to 265 horsepower (197.6kW) in the 8S.265.
All models are powered a six cylinder, 7.4L Agco engine compliant with Stage V emissions standards and operate at a low rpm to reduce operating costs.
Ready to Work
From a functional perspective, Massey Ferguson has delivered seven per cent more capacity for its three-point linkage capacity on the rear, which has increased up to 10 tonnes. A new 4.8t capacity front linkage option, which is fully integrated into the tractor, is also available and comes with the option of an ISOBUS socket.
With the 8S Series, Massey have also introduced its latest offering of efficient transmission technology in the form of the Dyna E-Power, Dual Clutch gearbox. The technology was designed in-house and combines the advantages of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with the ability to transmit power as efficiently as a mechanical transmission.
The new transmission unit further reduces power losses as well, with up to 26 per cent higher speeds and fuel savings of up to 10 per cent compared to the previous Dyna-6 system found on the MF 7700 S.
New hydraulics in the linkage systems mean the 8S can handle and operate large, wider implements. As standard, the hydraulic flow can achieve 150L per minute – a figure 36 per cent higher than the previous system.
The option to increase to a 205L/min system, which can be supplied as an Eco version, is also available – up from 190L/m on the previous model.
Operators of the new 8S will also benefit from MF Connect Telemetry, which comes standard across the 8S Series with a three-year subscription licence.
While the 8S Series is still in its formative years in Australia, the response from the agricultural machinery scene globally has been positive.
The tractors have been recognised with a Red Dot Design Award, was among the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) AE50 winners, and the winner of the Farm Machine 2022 award in the 180-400hp category.
Perhaps most poignant of all is that the MF 8S.265 was named Tractor of the Year 2021, on the sidelines of the Agritechnica event.