The CLAAS ARION 660 brings serious power, 50:50 weight distribution, and a cab that makes long days genuinely comfortable
It’s not just a tractor; it’s the Brad Pitt of paddocks with the equally famous CLAAS 50:50 weight distribution concept. Think of it as the rural equivalent of yoga: more traction, less compaction!
The CLAAS tractor concept
While you’re still trying to get the downward dog image out of your head, I’ll attempt to get you back in the game with the promise of a silky-smooth ride. The CLAAS tractor concept is a long wheelbase but with short overall length. This allows for a large payload and thanks to the 50:50 weight distribution, reduces the ballast requirements. This also means less fuel use required to simply carry around ballast.
Right: High-lift one-piece bonnet makes daily servicing easy
The CLAAS ARION 660 can also be spec’d on 42-inch rear tyres, which with a 12.5T max weight means there’s plenty of headroom for heavy implements. Speaking of lugging heavy implements, CLAAS has another concept around the five points of suspension for the operator. This starts with the front linkage suspension, then moves back to the front suspension, the seat suspension, the cab suspension and the rear linkage suspension. Combined with the cab being mounted forward from the rear axle, this means whether you’re using a front- and rear-mounted implement, or rear-mounted with a front ballast weight – the five points of suspension are always in play.
Engine
The 6.8 litre six-cylinder engine boasts 185hp rated +20hp of boost (thanks to CLAAS Power Management CPM) for a max power of 205hp. It is a Stage 5-compliant engine that uses all the witchcraft; DOC, EGR, DPF and SCR. It also has a Visctronic fan that is electric and matches the speed of the engine and the air-conditioning compressor, meaning less fuel and noise. Another ear- and fuel-saving feature is the reduced idle to 650rpm. Telemetry data shows that tractors on average idle 30% of their working life. While this might not sound much, to have a reduced idle speed over the life of the tractor does save a significant amount of fuel.
Transmission
The CMATIC transmission works like a hybrid of a dual clutch inside a hydrostatic transmission. Now without going down mechanical engineering rabbit holes, this basically means that there are no range changes and it is all seamless from 0 to 50km/hr.
You can drive it in stick or pedal mode and switch between them with the push of the button on the CMOTION lever. Another nifty feature of the CMOTION lever is that functions are controlled using your thumb and forefingers (thanks to the palm shape, allowing your arm to rest comfortably on the padded armrest with limited wrist movement).
Functionality wise, 10 function buttons can be freely assigned. This includes ISOBUS functionality, spool valves, transmission functions, engine speed memories or headland management – the power is all yours my friend.
The features don’t stop there, with the added benefit of the ‘Powered Zero’ function. This means the tractor position will not creep until the accelerator is depressed. Keeping with the overarching drive for fuel efficiency, 50km/hr is achieved at just 1500rpm – how good!?
Hydraulics/ Rear Linkage PTO
Right: Front linkage or loader can be controlled via a 2-spool mid-mount
In the hydraulics department, the CLAAS is equipped with 150L/min pump. You get an eight-ton rear lift capacity, up to four rear spools and two mid mounts, which in this case, one was for the front linkage and one for a front spool. With the benefit of CLAAS sequence management, you can have four sequences per implement and up to 20 separate implements stored – perfect for individual operator preferences. Functions include hydraulic time and flow, four-wheel-drive, diff-lock, front linkage, cruise control and engine speed memory settings – to name just a few. In the PTO department, four speeds are standard, all electronically controlled including both start and stop buttons on the rear guards.
Technology and Productivity
Enter the CEBIS terminal, the ARION’s digital command centre, which is the perfect lovechild of gadgets and getting the job done. The high-resolution touchscreen lets you control everything from headland management to hydraulic settings and ISOBUS compatibility.
The second 12-inch display, conveniently located on the A pillar in this instance, then looks after the GPS guidance for beautifully straight lines, more productivity with a side of “look, no hands!”
Operator Environment
It wouldn’t be fitting to start this section without mentioning the glorious four-point cab suspension. Better still, when combined with the PROACTIV front suspension, this delivers outstanding ride comfort, achieved by the cab being fully isolated from the chassis. Longitudinal and lateral struts join the suspension points and keep the cab stable when turning corners or braking (and more importantly stop you getting seasick). Best of all, there are three suspension settings and, bestest of all, is that the entire cab suspension system is completely maintenance-free.
Once nestled in the plump and comfy seat, and you’ve altered the tilting steering column to your individual preference (thanks to sturdy cast pedals), it’s now time to start sifting around in the 12” CEBIS screen. I must admit this process is very easy, even for a simpleton like me. This is mainly thanks to the use of self-explanatory symbols and colour coding to give a clear picture of the settings.
The CEBIS menu layout is also very logical without the need to go through menus and sub menus to get to the goods. An example of setting driveability is two programable engine droop settings that can be saved in stick or pedal mode and controlled by the function buttons on the CMOTION lever. You can have one on the road for ‘ECO’ and one in the field for ‘Power’ or vice versa – whatever your little heart desires. Simply set the engine droop and max speed parameters – all very easy thanks to the touchscreen monitor.
Verdict
The CLAAS ARION 660 boasts serious power, advanced features and that all-important 50:50 tractor concept that’s like tightrope walking but with more horsepower. The overwhelming features for me on this model are build quality, the fit and finish and the unmatched comfort – it’s all top shelf stuff. It’s superbly designed to handle New Zealand’s demanding contracting scene – maybe it’s time you CLAAS’d up your operation?
