This beefy-looking tractor (pictured above) has (approximately) 400hp under the hood; it’s the latest machine from Chinese manufacturer YTO.
Previously, the most powerful offering from the manufacturer was a powershift-equipped 220hp model (pictured below). It was shown at November’s Agritechnica show in Germany – one of the world’s leading farm machinery exhibitions.
The aforementioned 400hp monster – known as the LW4004 – has been talked about for some time. A prototype was first seen a couple of years ago in YTO’s native China.
Most notably, the new 400hp tractor has a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission).
According to YTO, the LW4004 is the first prototype CVT tractor to be developed “independently in China” – with “independent intellectual property rights”.
YTO says that the tractor will “end the history of China’s reliance on the import of heavy-duty tractors above 350hp”.
It says that the tractor can “undertake deep tillage, sub-soiling, combined soil preparation and other heavy-duty applications”.
Who or what is YTO?
YTO Group Corporation is actually the holding company of ‘First Tractor Co‘ – the entity that manufactures a wide array of tractors (including crawler/tracked models), diesel engines and materials handling equipment (including loading shovels).
‘First Tractor Co’ – formerly known as ‘First Tractor Works of China’ – was founded in 1955. In 1997, YTO Group Corporation established the ‘First Tractor Co’ name, after restructuring the business.
YTO also has production facilities outside China. This transmissions plant in Saint-Dizier (France) previously belonged to McCormick. Image source: YTO France
Interestingly, YTO Group Corporation’s parent company is China National Machinery Industry Corporation (SINOMACH).
The ‘DFH’ trademark is typically used in China; the ‘YTO’ brand is known in export markets (such as Europe).
‘First Tractor Co‘ has over 100 production lines in total. It has four specialised tractor assembly plants.
It sells its wares to a growing list of export markets; it claims to have products working in over 140 countries and regions dotted all around the globe.
