NEW HOLLAND fans in the UK now have the opportunity to get the biggest tractors yet from the brand.

Its T9 Auto CommandTM tractor was introduced recently to New Holland dealers and this leviathan features New Holland’s innovative Auto CommandTM CVT gearbox. The five-model range produces maximum outputs ranging from 429hp to 605hp using FPT Cursor engines shared with its sister company, Case IH – the Case IH QuadTrack matches the top output of the wheeled T9 biggest model.

This means the range-topping T9.600 AC carries the mantle of being the world’s most powerful CVT tractor.

New Holland said this biggie is easy-to-operate and takes productivity, efficiency and versatility to an entirely new level.

The recent event featured the only T9 Auto CommandTM model currently in the UK and was augmented by a line-up of New Holland’s other high horsepower tractors, including models from the T8, T7 long wheelbase and T7 Heavy Duty ranges.

But the talk was mainly about the T9s, which have the capability to add or remove up to 5.5-tonnes of additional ballast and manoeuvre within a 10.7m turning circle.

Despite all that, it remains road legal, by being under 3m wide on the road, even when fitted with 900/60R42 tyres.

New Holland is putting a lot of faith in its Auto Command transmission as being an attractive feature for buyers in this high value, but limited sector of the market. Its seamless speed changes and a proven track record from other big New Hollands are seen as a major selling point.

The control of this is down to the award-winning SideWinder II armrest, which has a fully integrated IntelliView IV colour touchscreen and CommandGrip multi-function joystick.

But, while the CVT remains the central feature, the T9's Auto Command set-up never operates with less than 60% of full mechanical drive. That and an advanced double clutch control – think Audi S-Tronic – makes it a highly power efficient gearbox, argued New Holland.

Auto Command automatically adjusts engine power to ground speed for maximum productivity to match the application.

Automated efficiency features allow the operator to simply dial in the desired working speed and the T9 will then take care of the rest, optimising engine speed to reduce fuel consumption as it goes along.

It also has a 'cruise' mode which takes the T9 up to any target speed at the push of a button, which is ideal for road haulage work.

There's also a fully integrated IntelliSteer auto-guidance system with precision down to 1-2cm, while advanced telematics allows close monitoring of the tractor’s performance from the convenience of the farm office.