info Zetor Poland lets slip and reveals names of new Zetor Series 4 and Series 5 ?

[Joachim]

Source:

Zetor Polska - nowa siedziba, nowy model ciÄgnika, promocje i nowe wyzwania na trudne czasy (wywiad) - WiadomoÅci Rolnicze Polska

CiÄgniki Zetor obecne sÄ na naszych polach od prawie 80 lat i przez ten czas na staÅe wpisaÅy siÄ w polskÄ wieÅ. Trudno nie doceniÄ tej marki w rozwoju

www.wrp.pl

In an interview about its move to new premises in Kalisz, Zetor Poland spoke of a market launch of the new Series 6, which has already been regularly photographed as a prototype, in 2025. And mentioned in passing the new Series 4 and Series 5 series that will follow.

Since the new Series 6 is supposed to have 126 to 171 hp, one can only guess.

• Series 5 = new Proxima?
• Series 4 = new Major?

The step would only be logical, since Zetor has not been building its own engines and transmissions since September 2024, a new replacement for the Proxima is urgently needed.

But when will the new big Zetor finally arrive - a Zetor Series 7 (Zetor Rada 7)?
As heirs to the Maxterra and Crystal, with 6 cylinder Deutz and ZF transmission...

It will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[diyfarmer]

What do you mean, "drops"?
Usually drops means no longer happening. As in they have dropped the idea of building 4 and 5 series.

 

[Joachim]

When I say "drops" I mean that someone has something dropped - a comment/saying, something has been revealed.
And since Zetor Poland is one of the usually very well-informed circles among Zetor importers, the 4 and 5 series can be considered fairly certain.

It's only logical if you call the new series the 6 series (Rada 6) and announce that you want to reintroduce this naming scheme, so that after replacing the previous Forterra series, the Proxima will also be replaced and renamed. And the same should apply to the Major, which will then be the 4 series in the future.

Since the Major is already made up of Deutz and Carraro with a dash of Zetor, it will probably mutate into the 4 series more quickly than the Proxima. There has been no sign of the 5 series so far, but here too it will probably be a Deutz engine, ZF transmission and Carraro front axle.

I'll use my crystal ball:
Zetor Primus = Zetor Series 1 = Zetor Rada 1
Zetor Utilix = Zetor Series 2 = Zetor Rada 2
Zetor Hortus = Zetor Series 3 = Zetor Rada 3
Zetor Major = Zetor Series 4 = Zetor Rada 4 (or Zetor 4060 and Zetor 4080 maybe ?)
Zetor Proxima = Zetor Series 5 = Zetor Rada 5
Zetor Forterra = Zetor Series 6 = Zetor Rada 6 (or Zetor 6120 to Zetor 6170 maybe ?)
Zetor Crystal = Zetor Series 7 = Zetor Rada 7 (or Zetor 7170 to Zetor 7240 maybe ?)

I think the new naming scheme is pretty clear what series means what older model name.


But the really hot question is when will the large series that has been "lost" since the Maxterra come? Formerly Crystal, and new Series 7/Rada 7
With 6 cylinder Deutz, ZF transmission, Carraro front axle or maybe even ZF front axle and 170 to 240 (?) HP...

I hope they have a better hand with the Series 7 than with the somewhat unfortunate Crystal, but at the same time have just as good marketing as when the Crystal was released.

 

[Renze]

I'll use my crystal ball:
Zetor Primus = Zetor Series 1 = Zetor Rada 1
Zetor Utilix = Zetor Series 2 = Zetor Rada 2
Zetor Hortus = Zetor Series 3 = Zetor Rada 3
Zetor Major = Zetor Series 4 = Zetor Rada 4 (or Zetor 4060 and Zetor 4080 maybe ?)
Zetor Proxima = Zetor Series 5 = Zetor Rada 5
Zetor Forterra = Zetor Series 6 = Zetor Rada 6 (or Zetor 6120 to Zetor 6170 maybe ?)
Zetor Crystal = Zetor Series 7 = Zetor Rada 7 (or Zetor 7170 to Zetor 7240 maybe ?)

Sounds good. Then Rada 8 with 260-300-340hp ZF TMT27-32 CVT and FPT NEF67 engine. Its the only engine in the market that can maintain 50hp per liter in heavy use.

Above that, Zetor will not have any business for the next decade..
If they ever go above 350hp i would consider badge engineering a Versatile.

 

[Joachim]

Let us see a Rada 7 first... after that, I will begin to believe in a Rada 8 maybe

 

[Renze]

Let us see a Rada 7 first... after that, I will begin to believe in a Rada 8 maybe

Zetor lost its market because they kept thinking too small. They are yet again dropping the 6 cylinder model in favour of a four cylinder, instead of uprating the 6 cylinder model with a market conform model... same as they did 15 years ago.

So i'd thought we'd better encourage them a bit. Without 170-230hp six pot R7 they still dont have a chance of a resurrection in Western markets. People who start a new farm equipment dealership in this day and age, are more ambitious than Zetor. Dealers that already have a contract with orher brands, will not change to Zetor if they have to give up their most profitable customers because Zetor has nothing to offer these customers.

What HTC really lacked is ambition. 22 years have passed and Zetor still only serves the compact 4 cylinder class. You cannot sustain a dealer network serving only a third of the market, dealers will have to let too many customers slip, for Zetor to be a worthwhile partner.

 

[Joachim]

I think they havnt the money to think big at the moment.
At the moment they are fighting for their survival for the next two to five years.
No investor = no space for big dreams. Thats what I think.

And yes, I think the two biggest mistakes HTC made are:

• neglecting the 25-60 HP models for many years and thus leaving this market to Kubota, Iseki, Branson, ... and thus losing the municipal sector in Germany.
• ending the Maxterra project. At the time they should have said, OK, we'll fight for our engines but give up on gearbox development and use Carraro for the smallest models and ZF gearboxes for 100 HP to 300 HP.
  That would have meant manageable costs 15 years ago and would have secured Zetor 's own engines in the long term. Only modern engines can be sold on to other manufacturers and thus produced in large quantities.

 

[Renze]

Carraro front axle or maybe even ZF front axle and 170 to 240 (?) HP...

To be honest, comparing my mates CVX 1145 with Carraro independent suspension, with the Puma 180 with very simple trunnion suspension, for me the independent suspension isnt worth the added expense and added wear and tear on all those links. These axles are impossible to keep tight.

And for comfort, even with broken front axle suspension, the Puma has a better comfort than the CVX because the cab suspension is at another level.

I know the big advantage of the Carraro is that its interchangeable with the rigid front axle. But for a Rada 7 (or even a Rada 6) i would choose to go with only one front casting, standard with trunnion cradle front axle suspension like the Puma. Its better to make the base price a little bit more expensive for the people that think they dont need front axle suspension, than to make the price of the version that 80% of the buyers want, more expensive.

 

[Renze]

No investor = no space for big dreams. Thats what I think.

Also, no solid future strategy = no investor.... If they do as they always did, they will get the same result as always, which is balancing on the edge of profitability whilst the market share slowly erodes.. Investors need to see a plan...