At the Agromek Show in Denmark, there was a drive area where farmers, contractors and even the media were allowed to drive.

What caught my eye at the show was the bendy NX Valtra.

For the test drive, the manufacturer’s representative travels with the customer on a really good test track. Around 20 minutes is allocated for each test run. There is some road driving on-site, which brings you out to a green field, where there were straw bales for handling with the loader.

What is the Valtra NX?

The Valtra NX series is basically the N series tractors from Valtra, but with the option of articulated steering.

As a loader tractor, the articulation provides extra steering lock when working in conjunction with the steered front axle. This in some respects allows it to compete with more nimble four-wheel steered farm handlers.

Valtra tractors originated in Finland and are largely still produced there, where farmers are often involved in forestry during the winter months.

The extra steering capacity through woodlands would no doubt be of benefit. Snow clearance operations also benefit from this nimble Finnish machine.

Development

Valtra still has a free hand to develop its own products and niche technology. This includes its own variable speed CVT transmission, which is suited to the extreme cold weather of Scandinavia, TwinTrac reverse-drive, LH Link steerable front linkage and the NX-series articulated tractors.

The first Pivot Steer from Valmet was developed in the 1980s. Similar to New Holland’s TV6070 Bidirectional tractor, which is still available in the US, the early articulated Valtra was a hydrostatically driven machine with rear-mounted loader.

In the 1990s, a new articulated version was developed based on the Valmet Mezzo range.

Later on came the XM, which, like its predecessor, had a fixed non-steering front axle. The M Series was an expensive machine and, like the Mezzo-based unit, was built on the line as a standard machine and then adapted in another workshop, making it quite expensive.

Valtra’s NX is the latest articulated tractor, but differs from previous-generation models in that it now has front-axle steering, making it highly manoeuvrable.

The Valtra NX specs

The Valtra NX at Agromek was the flagship, the N163 Unlimited. As mentioned earlier, the articulated versions of the Valtras are only available on the N series.

Valtra is the producer of the original pocket-rocket tractor with an extremely powerful four-cylinder engine under the bonnet.

The N163 has a manufacturer-quoted maximum power of 163hp, which rises to a maximum of 171hp in transport boost.

All this power is developed by an in-house T4i/Stage3B, four-cylinder, 4.9-litre AGCO Power engine with four valves per cylinder. The fuel injection and AdBlue systems are from Bosch.

Emission control features both DOC and SCR. Also in-house is its direct CVT transmission, which features four working ranges.

The N163 weighs in at 5.6t and has a wheelbase of 2,665mm. With the articulated steering option, the wheelbase of N163 Direct is around 149mm longer and 300kg heavier than standard models. According to Valtra, the weight distribution on the NX is 45% over the front axle and 55% over the rear.

Impression

Valtra provided us with an on-hand guide to assist with the test drive of the Valtra N163 Unlimited, which was fitted with a Q66 Valtra loader and bale fork.

In-cab controls are exactly the same as the standard N163-Direct, but with an added control box mounted on the driver’s right. This controls and adjusts the five different steering modes of the NX variant. In front-wheel steering mode, the tractor operates as a standard tractor. In combined mode, both front wheel and chassis steering are activated and work together. Parallel track mode allows the front to run in an offset track to the rear wheels.

In chassis steering mode, the front wheels remain rigid with steering performed by the tractor’s articulation. Finally, chassis angle steering plus steering wheel control turns the front wheels after chassis movement.

There is excellent manoeuvrability in combined mode, reduced ground compaction in parallel track mode, while chassis angle steering plus steering wheel control is ideal for front loader work in narrow conditions.

Operating the tractor in Denmark was an experience. Driving out to the field was normal until you start making turns in full combined steering mode. It quickly became apparent that just front wheel steering mode would be used for road work.

Large square bales were provided to handle with the loader. Moving these around in combined steering mode was quite a sensation. Everything seems to move and is a virtual assault on the senses.

Summary

The NX’s manoeuvrability is incredible, but may require motion sickness tablets.

A hydraulic front-axle lock is standard specification on versions specified with a front loader. This is necessary because the front loader is attached to the front end.

The Valtra N163, as we know from a previous Irish Farmers Journal test, is an extremely capable and versatile tractor.

The folks at Valtra have created something extraordinary in the development of the NX series. Anyone requiring it will pay around €15,000 extra for an NX version of the Valtra N series with direct CVT transmission.