Gone but not forgotten – the iconic MB Trac

The market for tractors with suspension, a high road speed, mid-mounted cab and equal-sized wheels might now be dominated by JCB, but back in the 1980s it was the pale-green products of Mercedes-Benz that had this sector to themselves.

The German firm’s MB Trac may not have had the 60km/h capability of the Fastrac, but it was one of the first tractors capable of 40km/h, or 25mph, and although it had a fixed rear axle, the front was suspended long before this became a widespread option on conventional tractors. Add to this the benefits of equal-sized wheels, four-wheel air-braking, front linkage, a rear load platform suiting sprayers and spreaders, and a full-width cab that made it easy to take along a passenger in comfort, plus a reverse-drive console on larger models, and the MB-trac offered something few others could match.

Built in the west German town of Gaggenau for all of its 18-year lifespan, the MB Trac was launched by Mercedes-Benz in 1973, following the firm’s success with its tractor-truck Unimog design, which had been in production since 1946. Initially there was just the one model, the 65/70, which developed a modest 65hp and was decked out in a red and grey livery.

It wasn’t until 1982 that the company introduced the familiar green paintwork, more modern design and twin ranges – the larger with the reverse-drive capability – for which the MB Trac name is still fondly remembered by many classic tractor fans.

Ideal for creating a self-contained sprayer package

The 70-110hp 700-1100 models followed a similar format to the original 65/70, but the 125/150hp 1300 and 1500, and latterly the 135/156/180hp 1400, 1600 and 1800 that joined them, featured a larger cab which enabled the fitment of the optional reverse-drive console, allowing the likes of mounted forage harvesters, mowers and loaders to be operated with the operator looking straight ahead.

The rear load platform made the MB Trac an ideal machine for creating a self-contained sprayer package, and a number of makers offered 1,000- to 2,000-litre demount sprayers to fit, while other manufacturers designed forward-control versions of the machine on to which could be mounted larger units of up to 3,000 litres.

It’s now more than a quarter of a century since Mercedes-Benz, like many other car manufacturers, chose to exit the agricultural business – although it still produces the Unimog. In 1991, the last MB Trac rolled off the line, but the machines retain a strong following in Germany and beyond. Among the enthusiasts of the marque that remain are Tim and Claire Matthews, farmers and contractors in Norfolk, eastern England.

Tim is a hay and straw contractor and merchant who also carries out demolition work and concrete crushing, deals in used machinery and breaks machines for spares. He was originally a Unimog user, running a number of the machines during the late 1980s to tow trailers for his hay and straw business. His first MB Trac, a 1983 1300, was actually purchased in the mid-1990s after production of the machines had ceased. Having seen one at work, he reckoned it would make the ideal power unit for a big square baler. Quickly convinced by the high driving position and good view down to the baler pick-up, he soon began to look for other examples.

Since then, he has bought and sold a number of the machines, but has tended to keep hold of the better models he has acquired, using them in the past for mowing – where they ran front/rear combinations – tedding, raking and baling, as well as carting.

“We’ve owned more than 50 since buying our first model, and some we have bought twice when new owners have ultimately decided to sell them again,” says Tim.

“Currently our fleet includes a 1600, two 1300s, an 1100, two 1000s, a 900 and an 800, and I also have a Unimog 1600. Nowadays, with a number of them having five-figure clock readings, the MB Tracs are taking more of a back seat role, with the main hay-making and straw baling tasks having been given over to a number of 155-65 JCB Fastracs that we run. Baling centres around a fleet of big square Hesston machines, packaging straw purchased from farms across the local area, while we also make hay on our own farm.”

Slower market

While a decade or so ago there remained a steady demand for good used examples, the secondhand market for MB Tracs is now much slower in the UK, although Tim does buy and sell as machines appear and demand occurs. In Germany there remains an export market for later models in particular. For this reason, and the satisfaction of having an almost complete collection, the Matthews fleet now remains fairly static. But while they now have an easier life, the MB Tracs are given a good chance to open up and blow some smoke on occasional working days and various local road runs, and last Boxing Day the family enlisted some friends and gave them the opportunity to drive the machines on a popular local run which starts at a nearby pub.

“Robert Lord and Brian Folwell are our fitters and lead the team that looks after these tractors,” explains Claire.

“Robert is one of our baler drivers at harvest, and has worked with Tim for many years. He knows these tractors inside-out.

“Other local farmers who used to drive machines like these, such as the Baker family who farm near us, also like to come out with us on the road runs, as do our own sons and their friends, and I take one of our 1000s on the Pink Ladies cancer charity local road run. We might have retired them now, but these are machines which everyone loves to drive.”

The Matthews MB-trac fleet