IT HAS leather seats, a suspension cabin and climate control inside. Outside it's packing a whopping 600hp under the bonnet.
Unveiling the new Steiger Quadtrac to dealers in the Barossa Valley last week, Case IH's highest horsepower production tractor impressed with its ride, features and control.
It should also impress broadacre croppers - probably more so in northern NSW, Queensland and WA than rural Victoria - though anyone with a 30m-plus seeder would no doubt welcome seeing the tracked behemoth out front.
Case product manager Tim Fanning said the Steiger was the true market leader.
"We recently reviewed the Steigers against a key competitor and the Steiger performed considerably better across all the important categories, from power to drive train, operator comfort to visibility - and much more."
The other key feature that will appeal to many farmers is the Tier 2 engine. That means no SCR and no adBlue. While the FPT engine fitted is SCR ready and available in Tier 4 in other markets, Australia gets the same engine sans the post emission control technology.
"These new models give Australian farmers the option to choose the best, most powerful and most efficient engines without the increased operating costs that accompany emissions reduction technology," Tim said.
"The engine is known as Tier 2 but we would prefer to use the term non-SCR.
"The reason for that is that Tier 2 suggests that it is old technology whereas in actual fact it is the latest technology engine - exactly the same as our SCR engines but it hasn't got the after treatment adBlue system fitted.
"We're fortunate to be able to offer the non-SCR solution and not force Australian farmers to take something they don't need. It is more cost and it is more inconvenience," Tim said.
Inside the Quadtrac cab, key features include the shock and stabiliser cab suspension (which can be optioned on all Steiger models), elevated "harley bar" type footpegs and a 40-degree seat swivel to erase any neck pain associated with tracking your 30m seeder.
The cab delivers only 74dB and the largest glass area in the industry. Balancing that is the automated climate control.
The fuel tank design has been altered to deliver a clear line of sight to the hitch removing the bump and feel method of hitching implements. The fuel tanks offer a larger capacity (1820 litres) due to the addition of steel saddle tanks over the rear tracks.
"Probably one of the best features is the multicontroller armrest," Tim said. "You can control shuttle, gear shift, throttle, headland management for end of row function and also hitch raise and lower and hydraulic controls - it really is 85-90 per cent of commonly used functions in one hand.
The Steiger's multicontrol joystick arrangement is the same as on other Case models to allow familiarity between machines - a boon for contracting staff allowing you to train one person on one tractor and they'll know how to jump out of it and into the Steiger, the Puma and so on.
Importantly the Quadtrac comes with a phalanx of HID lighting fitted. There's about 14 lights fitted back, front and to the sides for night work.
"The most important thing with the Quadtrac is that it offers a lot more traction than a wheeled machine," Tim said.
The 12.9 litre six cylinder FPT engine offers power boost of about 10 per cent taking the Quadtrac 600 to a massive 670 peak horsepower (500kW).
The Quadtrac configuration is available in 450, 500, 550 and 600hp models - all based on the same frame.
The track system is starting to make an impression in sales.
"It has significant advantages but it depends on the application and there is obviously a premium in cost. It is not for everyone but it seems the market is growing," Tim said.
One of the few negatives with the Quadtrac - and it is apparently being addressed - is the width.
The footprint doesn't currently fit 3m centres for control traffic operations as it measures 2.4m centres. Setting that aside, the tracks offer significant traction and pressure advantages.
Northern NSW Case IH area manager Pete McCann said a tracked system cuts the ground pressure by half.
"A tracked machine is down to about 12psi per square inch.
"Some are looking at them saying, 'well, it's not on three metres'. 'But I can go over ground because I've halved my compaction."
