Backed by a three-year/3000-hour warranty as standard with the option of extending the warranty to five years/6000 hours, an expanded range of telescopic loaders for the agricultural industry is now available from Bobcat.

With 40 years of expertise in telescopic loaders, the Bobcat range is manufactured at the company’s plant in Brittany, France. It has been expanded via the new TL43.80HF model, which becomes part of a choice of seven telescopic loader models for the farming market.

These machines cover maximum lifting capacities between 2.6 and 4.3 tonne, with lifting heights from 6-8m. All come as dedicated agricultural machines and have a naming system showing lifting capacity/lifting height performance at a glance: the TL26.60, TL30.60 and TL30.70 Compact productivity models and the TL35.70, TL34.65HF, TL38.70HF and TL43.80HF Productivity and High Flow models

The HF (High Flow technology) models offers heavy duty hydraulic capabilities and performance with a class-leading 190 l/min load sensing pump – or 150 l/min at the auxiliary line – and flow sharing distributor.

This allows the operator to work at significantly lower speeds, consume less fuel and benefit from remarkably shorter working cycles. To prevent unnecessary oil heating and power loss, the load sensing pump supplies oil only when hydraulic power is required – but if required, the full oil volume is available immediately, thanks to the 'Quick start' system.

Offering a maximum lift capacity of 4.3 tonne and a maximum lift height of almost 8m, the TL43.80HF is built for intensive loading work. Bobcat claimed it is the only machine in this area of the market that can use a 3.5 tonne material bucket, combined with a Z-bar tilt angle of 152° and a breakout force of 7000kg – that kind of performance could lead to an increase of up to 40% in loading productivity.

All in the range, though, offer novel features for higher comfort and productivity.

Power lift is an efficient lifting technology that optimises the use of hydraulic flows between telescopic boom cylinders to increase the lifting capacity and there's also an automatic parking brake for better safety and operator convenience. Drivers can also benefit from the luxury of a high comfort air suspension seat, including longitudinal and low frequency suspensions, and a range of adjustments.

In the engine bay, there's a new automatic fan inverter, where a cycle time can be set for cleaning radiators and the air intake grill to maintain efficient cooling. Meanwhile, during working cycles, the Boom Cushion Retract feature automatically slows down the boom speed when the boom is nearly fully retracted or at min/max angles, thus increasing safety and operator confidence.

Bobcat's tried and tested smart operating features still offered as standard – the SMS (speed management system), which allows the travel speed to be adjusted independently of the engine speed and the SHS (smart handling system) of allowing the speed of the boom movements to be adjusted, are standard fare.

As is the adjustable hydraulic output feature AFM (auxiliary flow management) and fast connect system), for quick and easy interchange of hydraulic attachments via an integrated pressure-release system.

Another standard feature is the ECO mode, which maintains optimum hydraulic performance without using the engine’s full power, adjusting and balancing between top performance and providing the best performance/fuel consumption ratio.

The smallest of the range, the TL26.60 has a lift capacity of 2600kg and a reach of 3010mm, but will lift to 5.9m. Maximum travel speed is 40 km/h from a choice of engines, either the 75hp or 100hp Bobcat derivatives, or a Perkins rated at 100hp.

That ranges up through the TL30.60 which has the same engine choice, with a lift capacity of 3000kg, lift height of 5.9m and 3010mm reach and the TL30.70 with similar performance but to a reach of 3900mm with a max height of 6.75m, then to the 130hp TL34.65HF which will lift 3400kg to a reach of 3282mm and top out at 6.4m.

A choice of Bobcat or Perkins 100hp engines power the TL35.70, which has a top lift of 3500 kg, to a max reach of almost 4m and height of 7m, while the TL38.70HF lifts 3800kg to to the same standard.

Top of the range is the TL43.80HF at 4300kg lift capacity, to 7.5m and a reach of 4m. Power can either be from a 130hp Bobcat, or Perkins.