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...

 

[Renze]

On their website, CEO Robert Harmann said that Zetor is already testing Rada 5, the Proxima replacement.

ZETOR SERIES 6 at AGROmashEXPO: Hungarian Premiere of a New Tractor

At the AGROmashEXPO exhibition in Hungary, the prototype of the new SERIES 6, the future flagship…

www.zetor.com

What transmission will it use ?

A ZF TPT 11 with 4 stage powershift?
www.zf.com/products/media/en/industrial/agriculture/data_sheets/TPT.dt.pdf

Or the ZF T557 transaxle, with 16 speeds, two powershifts, and powershuttle optional ?

https://www.zf.com/public/org/DatasheetZFT-500Series_71939.pdf

I dont know if the main gearboxes are interchangeable, but for loader tractors in North America, nobody cares about four powershift stages, but powershuttle is an absolute must.

In Europe, the 4 stage powershift is pretty advanced for the compact 100-120hp market... i think the majority would be sold with 16 speed, not the 4 stage powershift with automated range shifts..

If ZF can just swap the T557 transmission with the TPT 11 within the same tractor, this would do the trick.
It would mean theres no replacement for the Proxima CL, the T557 will offer a replacement for the GP with mechanical shuttle (or partly replacement for the HS) and the TPT11 would replace the HS, and offer a more high end solution.

If they go with Carraro, the T120 could fit:

It offers 12 mechanical gears with synchro shuttle (Proxima CL direct replacement) 24 gears with two stage powershift, optionally with powershuttle (GP replacement and partly HS replacement) and a transmission in which 3 ranges are automated,and 4 gears shifted by DSG clutches... its just that Zetor would be its very first OEM customer with the latter, i believe ?

https://www.carraro.com/storage/app/uploads/public/5ca/f07/bcc/Agricultural-Technical-Data-17-B-EN__5caf07bcc73c2517164827.pdf

 

[Renze]

Anyways...

Zetor shows Rada 6, four cylinders to replace the Forterra. I hope they stick to reasonable wheelbase, 2.65m would fit the bill for a heavy duty yet compact tractor on 650/65R38 tires: People who want long wheelbase, also want 6 pot. People buy the 4 pot to have a somewhat manueverable tractor. The Forterra HD made no sense, this wheelbase but not the strength to carry the loads, nor the weight to deliver the traction.

Because Zetor does not have an inbetween model 110 to 140hp such as New Holland T5 or Deutz 6C with about 2.50m wheelbase, it might be good to equip the 125hp and 135hp Rada 6 models with a different front axle carrier and driveshaft, to give them 2.50-255 wheelbase. The gap between the Proxima replacement and Rada 6 would otherwise become too big...
...or Zetor must also add 125-135-145hp 6C (compact) models next to the regular Rada 6. Although i wonder who wants a 2.65m wheelbase with only 125hp.. MF sells the 6S from 135hp (150 with PTO boost) with 2.67 wheelbase, i think two 2.55m wheelbase 125 and 135hp models and 2.65 for the 145-155-170hp models will cover the market.

Priority for Zetor is making a Proxima replacement, Rada 5 because commercially they cannot afford to be without their most popular range.

Then priority no.2 would be Rada 7, 170 to 210hp six cylinders with a 2.80m wheelbase, 650/65R42 tires and the TPT20 transaxle. If they keep insisting on not having PTO boost but power available in all conditions, they cant have a Deutz 6230 competitor because the powershift transmission cant take more.

Off course the 190 and 210hp models with TPT20 take piority, the 171hp six pot with TPT16 and long wheelbase is important, but dealers must be convinced that Zetor is back, with the 190 and 210hp six pots. Luckily the length difference between TCD4.1 and TCD6.1 of about 228mm is the difference in wheelbase required between rada 6 and rada 7

3rd priority would be CVT versions: the Deutz TCD6.1 goes up to 246hp which would mean the TMT25 CVT transaxle. All this with a 2.80m (Crystal) wheelbase. (The Fendt 724 was Germanies most sold tractor because it combines compact dimensions with good power: the new 720 S7 with 200hp and 3m wheelbase will not be as popular with many users, but Fendt now has the 620 instead, with max 225hp)

The Deutz 9340 has a ZF TMT 32 transaxle and 340hp from a twin turbo TTCD7.8. In the Fendt 939 (50hp more) this engine didnt last 5000 hours in continuous hard work:
The Case Puma 340 has an FPT NEF67 with a single turbo because it breathes fresh air instead of EGR. At 300hp it lasts 13.000 hours in hard work !

So, for Rada 8 i would suggest the FPT NEF67 at 240 and 270hp wastegated turbo with the TMT27, 650/85R38 tires, and then the 300 and 340hp with the NEF67 with electronically controlled turbo, TMT32 CVT transaxle, and 710/75R38 tires. All with 3m wheelbase. It stretches the borders of several tractor classes a bit because the NEF67 can cover both the 240hp as the 340hp cost effective, with minimal R&D effort. It would square up against the popular Deere 7R series and Case Optum and long wheelbase Puma.

I would ignore the Deutz Fahr 7, 8 and 9 series a bit because they are struggling with what engines Deutz has available and the chassis size the market demands. With a NEF67 you can compete with MF 8S, Optum, LWB Puma, Deere 7R without the complication of having to develop tractors with three different engines (TCD6.1, TTCD6.1, TTCD7.8 )
Off course the Sisu 7.4 is also a great engine to cover 240 to 300hp, but it doesnt offer the opportunity to kick into 340hp with just software modifications... i mean Zetor will not have a Rada 9 within 20 years...

 

[Joachim]

You mean a Rada 8 or not? Rada 9 ... there must come a miracle, a big fat magic miracle.

I will hope for Rada 5, 6 and hopefully 7inner the next 5 years - but more? I dont believe in that.

 

[Renze]

You mean a Rada 8 or not? Rada 9 ... there must come a miracle, a big fat magic miracle.

The top three Versatile models up to 400hp just need a Zetor hood, the design is horrible, but the tractor itself is suitable for large acreage tillage in Eastern Europe. Just powershift, so not suitable for contracting in Western Europe, nor for universal farm work elsewhere. That could become a Rada 9 but Zetor will never ever build it themselves...

I will hope for Rada 5, 6 and hopefully 7inner the next 5 years - but more? I dont believe in that.

Rada 7 isnt optional, its essential to rebuild their dealer network. Without a Rada 7, new dealers will not hop aboard, but become a sub-dealer for e.g. Deere. Zetor lost 80% of its dealers because dealers cant afford to have their customers go to a competing dealer for the 6 cylinders... That dealer will sell the four cylinders too so the Zetor dealer sells nothing.

I cannot emphasise enough: Without a Rada 7 they wont get new dealers to sell Rada 5 and 6.

And when i hear Zetor talk about a 250hp tractor, they need to plan ahead, not spend their money on an oddball tractor that fits no category and leaves no room for future expansion without installing a different engine.
They could build a 250hp tractor with the TCD6.1 but there will be no possibility to expand the range without engineering around a different engine that needs a different installation and emission approval, which just wont happen because of price.

If they want to get return on investment, they need to plan ahead carefully so there is room for future expansion without a total redesign.

Building a single large frame 250hp model is just bullshit: Either you offer four models from 240 to 340hp in the 10 ton, 3 meter wheelbase class, or you stick to the 2.80-2.85m wheelbase, 8 ton class up to 230hp

I dont know if they intend to build a model with the ZF TPT 25 powershift transaxle, but it is a older design, 4 stage powershift. It does have 40 or 50kmh top speed. The TPT 28 is listed with a 36kmh top speed ?
The transmission does have a place in the market, in a 3m wheelbase large frame tractor for tillage in wheat fields in Germany, France and Eastern Europe.
On dairy farms and at contractors, the CVT and the 6 step powershift have completely pushed the 4 step powershift off the market. So installing the 4 speed in a 250hp 2.80m wheelbase 8 ton model is madness, it only has its place in a 3 meter wheelbase 10 ton class tillage tractor nowadays.

If they spend money on a single large wheelbase model with a powershift that is only popular for large scale grainland tillage, and a TCD6.1 that is already maxed out, it will be money down the toilet. It needs room for future expansion without a total redesign.. which means Deutz is the wrong engine to start with.

Deere has the e23 powershift and MF has a Dyna7 in the 3m wheelbase class. ZF has nothing that compares to that, they chose not to invest in that and keep selling an older 4 step powershift above 210hp for the South American market because the CVT is so dominant in Europe. So a Zetor large wheelbase model would need the CVT to be a viable option for the money Zetor will need to sell a tractor with the same components as the competitors...

A farmer nearby, wanted a CVT last year. Yet Deere only offered it in the 6R (untill 2024) which was 40.000 euro more expensive than a 6M because of automated functions a dairy farmer doesnt use... So they bought a 6M powershift because Deere doesnt offer CVT in the 6M.. the desire for a CVT among dairymen who use them on mowers, is much bigger than the desire for automated functions...

Deere realised this mismatch in market demand, and now they offer the CVT in the 6M too since 2024...
Interestingly, the DirectDrive 8 speed DSG is only offered in the 6R series... i havent heard anyone praise the DirectDrive actually...