New Holland has unveiled its innovative Straddle Tractor Concept, specifically designed to meet the demanding requirements of the narrow vineyards. The American agricultural machinery manufacturer has partnered with Pininfarina to develop the concept vehicle.
The Straddle Tractor Concept should take care mainly of vineyards, where you need gentle movement in narrow furrows without the tractor damaging the individual heads or anything else in the vineyard. Developed specifically for regions where high-quality grapes are grown, the Straddle Tractor Concept will work in areas where rows of vines are grown less than half a meter apart.
Normally, the grapes grown in these areas are simply harvested by hand, and most of the maintenance work on the vines is done with a tractor that travels on the rows.
However, Pininfarina has developed a truly futuristic design with the aim of offering high comfort, high safety, and the ability to install an electric motor using New Holland’s Clean Energy Leader strategy.
Inspired by the shape of a champagne flute – tall, wide at the top, and tapering down at the bottom – the machine combines function with style. This shape, together with wraparound glass, provides the operator with exceptional visibility on the vines and all around. The overall exterior design stands out for the flowing and dynamic automotive-inspired lines.
The Straddle Tractor features a plush cab that will also make grape picking easier. There is also the large single door, a comfortable seat that rotates, and handsome wood trim that nods to wine barrels. New Holland didn’t provide specs of the tractor concept.
“Our ground-breaking straddle tractor concept offers a glimpse into the future that premium wine growers with narrow, high-value vineyards can aspire to. It is the result of New Holland’s long history of excellence in vineyards across the world, combined with the inspired innovation of legendary design house Pininfarina,” said Carlo Lambro, New Holland Brand President.
