CLAAS' Arion 400 range of tractors have had a revamp and now include a range of features normally found further up the horse-power ladder

This range is in the 90-140hp power range and meets a wide range of demands, ranging from livestock farmers just wanting a simple, straightforward tractor for yard and grassland work, to arable farmers looking for greater sophistication for field work.

A wide range of cab, transmission and specification options make it a useful tractor, but these new features will appeal to more buyers, especially the availability of dynamic steering. This is useful for steering-intensive jobs, such as loader work.

Three steering modes enable the system to adapt to certain tasks and, in addition to the current four-speed, four-range Quadrishift transmission, all models can now come with the six-speed, six-range Hexashift gearbox, which comes from the Axion 800 and Arion 600/500 ranges.

Currently, it takes 4.5 turns of the steering wheel to go from stop-to-stop, but this new system means this can be reduced to as little as one turn, making handling significantly easier.

Using the on-board CIS colour display unit, the driver has the option of either two automatic modes, or a manual mode.

'Steering angle dependent' mode, which will be applicable to about 90% of work done by a tractor this size, the steering speed increases the more the steering wheel is turned; in the 'Speed dependent' mode, the ratio is proportionally reduced as forward speed increases, for quicker headland turning, but stiffens up when in a straight line.

In manual mode, four fixed steering ratios can be selected, depending on the operation.

Also new is Claas' sequence management for headland control. This is designed specifically for the CIS colour display used on the Arion 400.

The option of the 24-speed Hexashift not only provides the user with a wider overlap between gears, but also the option for the transmission to change gear automatically using the Hexactiv mode. For road work the engine speed is automatically reduced to just 1850rpm to save fuel and reduce noise in the cab.

In manual mode, there's seamless changes through each gear and range using a rocker switch on the multi-function control lever. Using Hexactiv, both the range and gear changes are fully automatic.

Telematics is another feature in a wide range of top-end Claas machines, but now the technology has graduated down through the ranks to the Arion 400s.

This system automatically records the tractor’s operating data, in addition to its position, and automatically uploads this data to the dedicated server. This can be viewed remotely and allows for remote diagnostics, if necessary.

It also dovetails with compatible implement feedback that can optionally be automatically recorded and allocated to individual field files, ensuring accurate record keeping of operations, application rates, etc.