When a dealership has 160 tractors assembled in its yard, it’s one heck of a sight. Even more spectacular is the collection of Luxembourg’s Arsène Laplume. A now retired dealer, Arsène has one of the largest private line-ups of tractors we’ve ever encountered.

KEEPING IT BRIEF

  • Entrepreneur Arsène Laplume has assembled a unique collection of more than 160 Steyr tractors.
  • For nearly 30 years, he ran a farm machinery dealership, with Steyr as his main franchise.
Arsène Laplume is a thoroughbred of an entrepreneur who has set up a huge collection of Steyr tractors — around 160 of them.

The modern Massen shopping centre in Wemperhardt, Luxembourg, rates as ‘well worth a visit’. 

Owned by Arsène Laplume, the centre spans a 12ha site and has its own bakery, an abattoir with meat processing facilities, a delicatessen, and a chocolate factory. Top quality and adding value are priorities for the 70-year-old, who gave us a behind-the-scenes tour during our visit. But we were not here to go shopping; we came to look at Arsène’s  tractor collection.

Turning a business into a hobby

The Luxembourg entrepreneur started out in agriculTure nearly 50 years ago. In 1977, he took over his father-in-law’s agricultural machinery dealership. “At the time, we were still trading Zetor, but I quickly switched to Steyr as all the other brands were already well represented in Luxembourg.”

The site, located on Wemperhardt Hill, near the Belgian border, was originally home to a petrol station that also sold snacks. Over time, this evolved into a supermarket, which Arsène Laplume expanded alongside his machinery business. 

Eventually, he began attracting additional shops and companies as tenants, and, as a result of this success, the area transformed into a thriving business park. The machinery dealership gradually took a back seat and finally closed in 2005.

Farm machinery in his DNA

Despite no longer operating a dealership, Arsène remains passionate about machinery — especially Steyr tractors. 

“They’re in my blood,” he says with a smile. “Initially, I planned to restore just two Steyr Plus models, as they marked the start of my Steyr business. But it didn’t stop there.”

There are still a lot of interesting machines awaiting restoration and refurbishment.

Today, his collection includes Steyr models from the company’s early years through to those built before CNH acquired the brand in 1996. Arsène mainly buys tractors with relatively low hours, sourcing most of them from Austria. 

These Steyrs with extremely low hours will be left as they are.

“Some years, I travelled to Austria over 15 times to buy tractors,” he explains. He then strips them down and starts the refurb process ensuring they are both mechanically sound and aesthetically correct. 

“Every tractor in my collection is operational and certified,” he says proudly. “But there’s still plenty of restoration work ahead.”

In the workshop, three full-time staff are constantly busy reconditioning Steyr tractors.
The Steyr 816 Turbo prototype in the left corner was the forerunner of the later Steyr carrier vehicles. An absolute rarity.

Arsène is currently searching for a Steyr 430S or 430AS. He also wants to find some 8000 series in two- and four-wheel drive, or with different cabs. 

A one-off — this Steyr 8035 with a two-cylinder engine was built only as a prototype when the series was launched.

Yet there are also models he is not interested in, such as the 8120. “It had an unreliable transmission, or the first 9000 series which was based on a Massey Ferguson,” adds the focused collector.

Highlights of the collection

Space doesn’t permit a full rundown of his standout models, but the collection includes several rare gems. Among them are two driving school tractors with factory-fitted dual seats and pedals, a Steyr 180 prototype from 1943 with a 26hp two-cylinder engine — it was built four years before production officially began — and a Steyr N 182 with an unusual radiator grille of unknown origin. There’s even a lightweight prototype of the Steyr 80d.

This is the only 80W carrier vehicle. It has an 11hp magneto motor.

And so the list goes on … and on.

Unique: the collection of Ochsner compressor tractors that were based on Steyr models.

Big plans

Currently, only a small number of the Steyr tractors are showcased in the way he would love to present them. With that in mind, he is planning to build a three-storey museum that will offer spacious showrooms and a workshop. In view of the Massen shopping centre’s development, there’s no doubt that these plans will turn into reality. 

A well travelled tractor — this Steyr was delivered to Sri Lanka, where Arsène found it and brought it home.

We’ll stay on the ball and let you know when the collection moves into its new home. Until then, visitors can enjoy a coffee at the Steyrplatz bistro, which only gives a hint of the owner’s enduring love affair with the Austrian tractor marque.

Lucas Colsman

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