Krone was the first to take self-propelled forage harvester power above 1,000hp, but it would appear to be just a matter of time before flagship machines from the other big brands provide four-digit power levels. At 884hp, Claas is already nudging 900hp, and John Deere and Fendt are at 843hp and 850hp respectively, while the newly-launched FR920 is the most powerful self-propelled forage harvester so far from New Holland.
Fitted with the all-new FPT Industrial Stage IV V20 engine, the new block delivers a maximum power of 911hp (670kW) at 1600 to 1800rpm, 4,095Nm maximum torque and a 44% torque rise from 2100 to 1600rpm. The firm says the engine not only reacts fast to changing load, but is also fuel-efficient in the 1600 to 1900rpm working range.
The driveline and components have been reinforced to manage the increased power, and the heavy-duty mechanical 4wd option increases the maximum torque transferred to the wheels by 60% compared to the standard 4wd system. Other notable features include heavy-duty axles that are guidance ready, a reinforced steering axle support, and the possibility to fit larger footprint steering tyres. The overall feeding system has been improved (12.5% bigger intake channel), and in addition to the standard crop processor, the FR is now available with the new DuraCracker and DuraShredder systems.
