The big names in the tractor world did not have the stage to themselves at Agritechnica. The German show also provided a podium for Indian and Chinese manufacturers to show their latest wares in Europe, one of which included Lovol.
The Arbos brand disappeared quietly from the European radar in 2021, but Chinese manufacturer Lovol, the company behind it, was back at Agritechnica, this time with a new owner – Weichai.
We will probably never get to the bottom of why Arbos failed after spending many millions of Euros, but we understand that the Lovol Group was sold to Weichai – a holding company of Shandong Heavy Equipment.
The new company name is Weichai Lovol, and Lovol is now the global brand for the Chinese made tractors. The most powerful tractor on the stand was the 240hp P7240. The exterior looks suspiciously like the P7240 from the previous Arbos P7000 series and even the paintwork is identical.
However, the company stresses that this is where the similarities end as a Chinese team is flat out updating all the former Arbos models. The big change on the tractor includes swapping the previous 6.8l Deutz six-pot engine for a 7.4l Weichai motor.
The Stage III block falls short of European emission regs, but Eric Lu, Lovol marketing manager for Western Europe, informs us that a Stage V version is in development. Another big change is the replacement of the three-range, five-step powershift for a Weichai CVT.
The P7240 will soon be joined by the P2200 (220hp). Larger models will come at some point, and we would not be surprised if the previous Arbos P7260 (260hp) is resurrected sometime soon. And it could just be a matter of time before the 340hp 3404, the first model in the P8000 series (also with a CVT) unveiled recently in China touches down in Europe. Powered by a 9.5-litre Stage V Weichai block, oil flow of the 13.7t tractor is 190l/min and top speed is 40km/hr.
The real tractor is in China. Agritechnica visitors had to settle for this 1:32-scale model of the 340hp P3404-8V.
Mr Lu confirmed that there is plenty of European dealer interest to take on the Lovol tractors, which at the lower end of the power range includes Stage V (Doosan) versions of the three model P4000 (90-110hp) range.
Plus, there is the 130hp P5130, which for now is the only model in the P5000 series. The 3.4l Doosan four-pot motor in this tractor is mated to a three range (45fx15r) semi-powershift with power-shuttle.
The P5000 range will be expanded in the future and gearbox options will include a full powershift and CVT. Incidentally, the green and white paintwork is only used on high-tech Lovol tractors. The tractors are also available in blue signifying simpler, mechanical tractors. The firm says it plans to offer both colours in Europe.
Arbos is not the only Chinese manufacturer keen to sell more tractors in Europe. So too is FM World and YTO, and Indian tractor makers Solis and Tafe also spoke of plans to increase their European market shares. We’ll cover all four this week.
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