New Literature for Fall 2003 

by Gordy Schultz
      I know everyone is excited about Fall Farm Shows with all the special toys announced. There is also plenty of new literature to be found this Fall. If you make it out to a new show while you are picking up those Fall Farm Show Edition toys at an OEM tent you might also check out the new literature on hand. This month I will highlight some of the more talked about new tractors and then in October highlight the new combine literature just in time for the corn harvest. If you can not make it to one of the big shows your local tractor dealership should have these new items in the literature rack.

Farm Progress Tillage Demonstration
The big frame John Deere 7020 tractors are all the rage. Ertl has new 1/16 and 1/64 models out of the 7920. These new tractors from 140 to 170 hp offer many new and improved options including an IVT transmission. The brochure is 19 pages long and has plenty of interesting pictures of the new 7720, 7820 and 7920 tractors at work. One thing to note is that John Deere refers to the 7720-7920 range as the "large farm’ 7000's. A separate 7020 brochure featuring the 90 hp to 125 hp models was released last year. John Deere has used theme’s to market its tractors for many years. For example the 40 series tractors like the 4440-4840 were known as the new Iron Horses. The new 7020 literature markets the big 7020's at the 24/7's under a clock theme.

AGCO has a great brochure out on the MT700 tracked tractors. AGCO acquired Caterpillars Ag line in December 2001. My June "Literature Rack" article covered several of the AGCO/Challenger brochures. One piece not available at the time was the MT700 piece. It has a different cover from the other Challenger brochures which are trimmed in black. The brochure is 26 pages long and has many great pictures in it of Challengers in tillage.

    When it comes to 4wds it is always a race to see who has the largest and most powerful tractor. For a 10 year period from 1985 to 1995 the race was pretty slow as 4wd top end hp lingered in the 375 to 400 hp range. Then in 1995 AGCO introduced a 425 hp 4wd and the race was off. John Deere soon had a 425 hp 4wd and CaseIH matched both companies. New Holland as soon offered a 425 4wd. In 2000 CaseIH uped the anti with the 440 hp STX 440 Steiger. John Deere not to be out done introduced the 450 hp 9520 in August 2001. A week latter CaseIH introduced the STX 450 and New Holland month old TJ 440 became a TJ 450. Caterpillar breezed by both companies in late 2001 with the 500 hp MT865. CaseIH and New Holland join the 500 hp class in 2003 with the CaseIH STX 500 Steiger and New Holland TJ 450. The STX literature was released in February.  New Holland has  new piece out featuring the TJ 500 on a single page introduction flyer.  This is the first TJ 4wd piece featuring the new NH decal on the 4wd line.  It hard to think that the 375-425 hp 4wds are now mid-sized.

TTT September 2003 Page 12

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