Founded | 1937 |
---|---|
Founder(s) | Xaver Fendt |
Headquarters | Marktoberdorf, Germany |
Products | agriculture machinery tractor |
Parent | AGCO |
Website | http://www.fendt.com/ |
Fendt is a German manufacturer of agricultural tractors and machines. It is part of AGCO Corporation. It was founded in 1937 by Xaver Fendt and purchased by AGCO in 1997.
Fendt manufactures and markets a full line of tractors and balers, and recently began selling combines built by AGCO and Laverda. Fendt also developed the Vario gearbox which is one of the most advanced tractor gearboxes in use today. It is also used in JCB, Valtra and Massey Ferguson machines.
History[]
Independent days[]
Johann Georg Fendt started building tractors in the 1920s. In 1930, Franz Sailer, a farmer from Marktoberdorf in Germany, purchased the first Fendt tractor fitted with a diesel engine. Sailer named his new 6hp acquisition "Dieselross" (Diesel Horse). Fendt and his sons Hermann and Xaver immediately adopted this ingenious name. By 1949, production of the Dieselross F18 (18hp) had reached 20 units per month.
Fendt was incorporated in 1937 as Xaver Fendt GmbH & Co.
Take over[]
The Fendt company was purchased by AGCO in 1997 to add to their line-up of top brands.
Vario Gearbox[]
The vario gearbox was first developed in the 1970s but due to lack of funding it was never seen on a production tractor until 1996 when Fendt launched the revolutionary Fendt 926 vario. This was the first ever stepless transmission to be launched onto the tractor market, and still is the only ever true stepless transmission with brands such as John Deere and New Holland trying to make a piece of machinery as advanced as a Fendt. When put into a tractor the gearbox electronics can be "tweaked" to make this tractor go much faster than its electronically limited 50 km/h top speed.
New Models[]
Fendt has just launched what is claimed to be the fastest, most powerful conventional tractor ever, the Fendt Vario 936. This has all of the technology featured in the previous tractors plus a little bit more. These tractors are capable of speeds of 65 km/h and are rated at 360 hp(DIN)
Fendt is widely regarded (By who) as being the 'Maybach' of tractors, in terms of build quality, technology and customer service, however they are generally priced higher than the competition, although some higher spec European John Deere & Massey Ferguson machines may be of similar quality.
Prototype 6 Wheeled model[]
Fendt has revealed a prototype of a new concept tractor at Agritechnica 2007 in Hannover, Germany called the "TRISIX", boasting 540 hp and six wheels. The front axle and the rearmost steer the tractor. As the speed increases the steering on the rear axle reduces to make it safer. It also completely locks out when in transport mode and with some implements. To handle the horsepower it has two of the company's trademark "vario" gearboxes, which push the machine up to a top speed of 60 km/h (38 mph). This is only a prototype, but has undergone a great deal of testing, but Fendt has not confirmed a production release date for this machine.
This was not the world's first 6-wheeled tractor; the Canadian company Versatile built Big Roy in the 1970s, but it was never taken to production.
Model Range[]
Early Models[]
- Fendt Diesel horse ("Dieselross") 1928?
- Fendt Diesel horse Mk111 - 1953-58 7196 built
- Fendt Farmer 2D 1950s
- Fendt Fix - 16 hp Single cylinder MWM engine
- Fendt Dogcart - 1957-84 19,345 built
- Fendt Favorit 1 - 1958-63 3769 built[1]
- Fendt Farmer 45 1970s
- Fendt Farmer 312 4 wd
- Fendt Farmer Turbomatik 4 wd
Recent Models[]
Fendt Favorite range
- Fendt 514 1990s 140 hp
- Fendt 516C 1990s 4 wd
- Fendt 611 1980s 110 hp
- Fendt 612 1970s 130 hp
- Fendt 615 1990s 185 hp
Current Models post 2000[]
- Fendt Vario 714 2004 140 hp
- Fendt Vario 926
- Fendt Vario 936
- Fendt Vario 960
UK Market & Preservation[]
Fendt are a niche player in the UK market at the premium end of the market generally for larger tractors.
When did Fendt first appear in the UK Market ? 1980s ? Are any early machines preserved or on the show circuit ?
See also[]
- AGCO - Parent company
- List of Tractor Manufacturers
- List of Types of Agricultural Machinery
- Shows and Meets list of vintage tractor and steam shows and working days
References[]
- wikipedia for base article
- The World Encyclopedia of Tractors & Farm Machinery