Building a great product or having a great service is all about knowing your audience — you have to listen to their wants and be able to deliver on them. Combining those things led to the creation of the second generation of Kubota’s M7 agriculture tractor.
Kubota’s bread and butter has long been the utility tractor. The thing is, when talking with Martin Carrier, product marketing director at Kubota, we’re seeing the size of utility tractors trending larger. Today, a 120-horsepower model can fit the definition of “utility” while it might have been only a fraction of that 20 years ago. The M7, which is Kubota’s highest-horsepower line, has found success filling that gap.
At the 2019 National Farm Machinery Show, the tractor-maker showcased the M7 Gen 2. It comes in three new models: the M7-132, M7-152, and M7-172, ranging from 100 to 140 in PTO horsepower. The target market is livestock farmers — the kind of folks who want and easy in-and-out machine, who embrace simple (high-tech GPS systems aren’t much use to this group), who put a premium on doing loading and baling tasks, and who expect a minimum hydraulic performance.
“We gathered feedback directly from our customers and upgraded the series to include a Closed Center Load Sensing hydraulic system, but built with the simplicity of mechanical operation controls,” Carrier said about the update to the first-gen machine, which was introduced in 2014. “The M7 Gen 2 Deluxe models are engineered to achieve exactly what livestock producers need and we’re excited to bring them to market.”
It’s certainly possible to find exactly what you’re looking for in one of new M7s. Depending on the model there are standard, deluxe and premium grade options to further customize for performance and job function.
New Semi-Powershift Transmission
The M7 Gen 2 features a 30-speed semi-powershift transmission, upgraded from its predecessor’s standard 24/24 transmission. The new transmission provides greater flexibility, allowing the operator to find the optimal gear for each job. The number of main gears has increased from four to six, and an auto shifting function evaluates range gear and then automatically adjusts engine output to improve acceleration performance under light loads. The new transmission maximizes productivity and increases efficiency. Carrier notes that this is a “significantly more convenient transmission.”
Exceptionally Clean Diesel Engine
Kubota’s M7 Series boasts a powerful V6108 Kubota turbocharged diesel engine with a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) that transforms exhaust into water vapor and nitrogen. The Common Rail System (CRS) on the M7 Series electronically controls the timing and amount of high-pressure injected fuel in stages for optimal combustion, which results in greater efficiency, better fuel economy and less engine noise. Additionally, with Kubota’s Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) muffler and an Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system, the M7 Series exceeds Tier 4 Final emissions regulations.
Industry Leading Front Loader Capabilities
Kubota’s M7 Gen 2 tractors are equipped with a Kubota LM2605 front loader, with an electrical joystick offered on the premium models. The loader features a Kubota Z-Bar linkage for mechanical self-leveling and a single-lever hydraulic valve quick coupler for easy attachment and detachment. The LM2605 front loader boasts a max height of 167 inches at pivot pin and a lifting capacity of 5,776 pounds at max pin height.
The M7 Gen 2 will be available at authorized Kubota dealers beginning April 2019.
