ITS OFFICIAL – Case IH's Maxxum 145 Multicontroller is one of the most fuel efficient tractors around.

Equipped with the company’s new eight-speed/24-speed ActiveDrive 8 transmission, it achieved the lowest specific fuel consumption ever recorded for a four-cylinder tractor in the PowerMix test conducted by DLG, the much-respected German agricultural society.

This model achieved an average specific fuel consumption of 258 g/kWh in the field work section of DLG's comprehensive test, which was almost 9.5% lower than the 282 g/kWh recorded by its nearest competitor.

On the basis of typical tractor workloads, DLG defined 14 load cycles under which the overall vehicle’s fuel and AdBlue consumption, performance and ultimately energy efficiency were determined.

In the test, the Maxxum recorded its average field work fuel consumption figure on a range from 230 g/kWh when operating a rotary harrow at 100% load to 302 g/kWh with a baler.

It is powered by a 4.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged and intercooled FPT engine which meets Stage IV emissions regulations using the Hi-eSCR selective catalytic reduction system. It has a rated power output of 145hp at 2200rpm, with engine management allowing a boost to 175hp.

The ActiveDrive 8 sem-powershift transmission – which has eight powershift steps in three ranges –can now be specified on all Maxxum Multicontrollers, from 116hp to 145hp, as an alternative to the four-step 16 x 16 40 km/h semi-powershift system ActiveDrive 4. A 50 km/h CVT transmission is also available.