The Fendt 1000 Vario. A revolutionary standard tractor.

High-torque and still variable – the German Meisterwerk

The new Fendt 1000 Vario, with 4 models (1038 Vario, 1042 Vario, 1046 Vario, 1050 Vario), is a compact standard high-horsepower tractor ranging from 380 - 500 hp (according to ECE R24) and is still versatile in use, for example for transport work (60 km/h) or heavy PTO work such as chopping wood. The low unladen weight of only 14 tonnes makes it predestined for work requiring low ground pressure, such as seeding. Thanks to its flexible ballasting concept, the vehicle can be ballasted according to need with up to 50 percent of its base weight. Thanks to its modular equipment options, with/without rear linkage or rear PTO, and the large number of hydraulic, hitch and linkage variants, it is compatible with all conventional implements, even those of previous high-horsepower tractors. The Fendt 1000 Vario was designed for the heaviest draft work, which was primarily reserved for articulated, tracked and system tractors up to now.

VarioDrive – the further development of the Vario transmission to an integral drive train

With the VarioDrive, Fendt has not only further developed the Vario transmission, but also developed a completely new drive train. Up to now, in a conventional transmission, the rear axle was supplied with torque in a fixed ratio, and when the four-wheel drive was engaged, also the front axle. With the new VarioDrive, the front axle can now be driven by a second, separate transmission output independent of the rear axle. The well-known Vario transmission has been expanded to become the VarioDrive drive train, which acts directly on both axles.

The drive unit on the VarioDrive works according to the principle of hydrostatic-mechanical power splitting. It has a hydraulic pump and two independent hydro motors, which supply the front and rear axles separately with drive torque. The hydro motor RA (rear axle) acts on the rear axle through hydrostatic-mechanical power splitting via planetary set and summation in the entire speed range. The hydro motor FA (front axle) is connected directly to the front axle and therefore mainly supplies high torque in the field. Through the intelligent overlay of the effective range from the drive to the front and rear axles, the maximum transmission output power is available over the entire speed range from 0 to 60 km/h without interruption of pulling power (range selector). Thanks to the intelligent transmission design, the hydro motor FA no longer transfers torque to the front axle above approx. 25 km/h; it is completely decoupled at higher speeds. There are no drag losses, which contributes significantly to an increase in efficiency when driving on the road.

Modern cooling technology – the Concentric Air System (CAS)

The cooling technology on the Fendt 1000 Vario was newly developed and consistently designed for low engine speeds and an extremely compact design: the Concentric Air System (CAS). At the heart of the CAS is a concentric high-capacity fan, which sits in front of the cooler units and presses cool air through the heat exchanger. Through its compact and very precise manufacture, it is extremely efficient. The clearance between the metal fan blades and the aluminium hood is less than 2 mm. Contrary to standard fans, the fan wheel in front of the cooler unit sucks in cold air. Since cold air has a higher air density, more air can be pressed through the heat exchanger and therefore a correspondingly greater amount of heat can be absorbed and dissipated. The dimensions of the Concentric Air System (CAS) can be kept extremely compact thanks to the guided air flow. This design, as well as the positioning of the CAS directly over the front axle, permits an excellent steering angle and thus the exceptional manoeuvrability of the Fendt 1000 Vario. The slight upward tilt of the fan arrangement and a round fan hood ensure a wide air stream and reduce the intake of harvesting residues. To maintain the cooling capacity at a constantly high level in a very dusty environment, it has an optional integral reversing function. This function can be selected with the Varioterminal. The CAS changes its direction of rotation and removes dust and harvest residues from the cooler grille.

The Concentric Air System is driven by its own hydraulic motor. That way the CAS is completely decoupled from the engine speed and can be actuated flexibly and according to need. The high efficiency of the need-based design of the overall cooling system reduces the required drive power by up to 70 percent (compared to a standard fan). The overall low noise level through Fendt iD, the minimised fan speeds as well as the small clearance on the hood, result in a very low noise level both inside and outside the cab and ensures pleasant working conditions, even when working at full load.