JCB’s flagship 8250 Fastrac tractor has picked up the Royal Agricultural Society of England’s (RASE) prestigious Gold Medal for outstanding innovation, technical achievement and potential to serve the industry.
The machine achieved the top accolade handed out as part of the Machinery Awards Scheme after being assessed for its performance in a variety of working situations.
The Society has through its long history supported farming and the rural industries by promoting new technologies, innovation and excellence in farm equipment. The countrywide group of volunteer judges, mostly farmers and contractors, visited and consulted commercial users of the 8250 Fastrac on its efficiency, effectiveness, economic value, durability, after sales support provide by the dealer, the cost of spares and all-round safety aspects.
Entrants to the scheme may receive one of two main awards – the Silver Medal or the Award of Merit. The prestigious Gold Medal is only given to replace Silver at the Society’s discretion and where a product is considered to be clearly worthy of exceptional commendation. The JCB 8250 Fastrac was the only Gold medal winner of 2007.
Brian Finney, chairman of the RASE judging panel, said: “The users consulted were large scale farmers and contractors with experience of a wide range of tractors. They described the 8250 as ‘a huge leap forward’.
“Road work in the ‘drive’ mode was said to be as comfortable as driving an automatic car, and with the high degree of safety provided by ABS braking. The 8250s we saw were heavily used on a wide range of field and road work applications, and had done so without problems and to the complete satisfaction of the users.”
Ian Sayers, Director and General Manager of JCB Agriculture, said: “We are thrilled to receive this most prestigious award; it is another tribute to British Engineering.
“The innovative features including full suspension, CVT, and a near 50/50 weight distribution have been well received by our customers and the Gold award from the Royal Agricultural Society of England is another acknowledgement of the fact that the 8250 is the most productive tractor in its class.”
The JCB 8250 Fastrac is an agricultural tractor with 40mph legal capacity, featuring full suspension, continuously variable transmission, with a twin caliper ABS braking system as standard. A near 50/50 weight distribution maximises traction with less additional ballast, and operator performance is enhanced with joystick control and touch screen programming. The 8.3-litre Tier 3 compliant Cummins engine gives 248hp (DIN) at rated engine speed with 1100Nm of torque over 65 per cent of the engine’s speed range.
The 8250’s full suspension, a feature of all Fastrac models, increases performance and hence productivity by maximizing both traction and comfort whether in the field or on the road. The added versatility and simplicity of the CVT transmission allows the tractor to cater for a wide range of duties.