The Landini Serie 7 V-Shift brings 140 years of Italian engineering to the NZ contracting scene
Whilst we might be basking in the throaty glory of the current lineage, the story of Landini tractors stretches back to 1884 when Giovanni Landini established his agricultural machinery company in Fabbrico, Italy. Landini quickly became a pioneering force, introducing Italy’s first diesel tractor in 1925. Today, Fabbrico is the beating heart of models like the Serie 7 V-Shift, which bring together more than a century of experience with modern technology and Italian flair from humble beginnings crafting steam engines. It’s worth noting that Argo Tractors (Landini’s parent company) produces over 22,000 tractors per year from five factories. Another noteworthy statistic is that the engineering department has doubled in size in the past five years, with 130 staff involved in developing new products as well as fine-tuning the current lineup. No doubt we will continue to see the ‘Blue Icon’ metallic paint, which certainly looks the part, continuing to grace our shores.
Two spec options
Right: The folding radiator stack was the best of the lot
Now, back from the nostalgic trip down memory lane to the task at hand; I will quickly cover off the two options for the Serie 7 models. Dynamic is the top spec option, which has the hydraulic cab suspension, large 12” screen, 160L/min pump, electric remotes and LED lights. The Active has the 123L/min pump, mechanical cab suspension, manual spools and halogen lights. Generally speaking, the Active spec is only brought into New Zealand as the powershift version, while the V-Shift is generally the top shelf Dynamic spec.
A little further nuance (soz); the V-Shift is only available in New Zealand with the Tier 3 engine as the (7.230) option. However, in the Robo-Six, you can get the 160, 200 or the 230 in the Tier 3. I promise I won’t confuse you any further and will focus on the V-Shift 7.230 at hand.
Engine
Continuing with the (somewhat confusing on my part) engine chat, the Landini is punching hectares with the well proven 6.7L, 6-cylinder FPT engine. Nestled low in the chassis on rubber mounts to reduce any vibration, this continues the Landini theory of a wide, long wheelbase and low centre of gravity concept. It’s paddock ready to achieve peak torque at just 1400rpm and sips from the 320L fuel tank. The high-lift bonnet exposes easy daily service points as well as a radiator stack that is the easiest to unpack of any tractor I have encountered – so far, so good folks.
Transmission
The goodness keeps coming with another quality component, in this case the ZF transmission. This has four ranges in the transmission itself, although while driving you don’t notice any of this, essentially it is stepless from 0 to 50 km/hr.
You also have the luxury of four operating modes.
Auto: this does what it says on the tin. This is the most frequently used option. Essentially the engine and transmission parameters talk to each other with a keen eye for fuel-efficiency.
Manual: this is where you set the engine rpm by the hand throttle and the drive stick controls the speed.
PTO: PTO speed will be set as a priority and therefore travel speed will reduce if the PTO speed starts to drop.
Cruise: this mode works in a similar fashion to Auto, but with travel speed being the constant. The Serie 7 also has a cool trailer brake feature where it has a little nipple on the coupling itself. Once the trailer is hooked up, it lets the tractor know that the trailer brake is activated and to adjust the braking sensitivity.
Operator environment
The Landini ‘Lounge Cab’ provides great visibility, has hydraulic cab suspension, climate control and a plush heated and ventilated seat. The right hand offers ergonomic controls particularly on the right-hand armrest and a fully adjustable instrument panel and steering wheel.
Being equipped with electronically controlled Carrero front axle with independent front suspension, automatic 4WD, and differential lock is another massive tick when combined with the hydraulic cab suspension and large footprint of the VF tyres. This trio made this Landini extremely smooth and comfortable, both on the road and in the ex-maize ground during our testing.
Hydraulics, linkage and PTO
In the hydraulics department there is also plenty to like with up to six rear spools (two at the front and an additional three front through a mid-mount valve) – this is great for having both a loader and front linkage. The aforementioned 160L/min pump provides the muscle for the spools and the 9300kg rear and 3500kg front linkage, but you also get a dedicated 44L/min steering pump thanks to the dynamic spec on this tractor. All up total oil flow is just over 200L, and Power Beyond is also standard from the CCLS pump.
For the PTO a pair of yellow-topped levers are used for picking the PTO speed, of which there are four – 540/1,000 and associated ECO modes.
Tech check
Right: LED rear lights and fender controls
Landini’s Serie 7 V-Shift is a little unassuming in this area but is actually packed with tech. Our test tractor was also equipped with the Trimble RTK option for 2.5cm accuracy, ISOBUS, Section Control, Easy Steer (variable rate steering) and the headland management system. These are all easily navigated around from the large 12” screen, keeping the separate screen soley for guidance.
Landini Fleet Management is also embedded into the brains of this tractor, with offboard connectivity including remote diagnostics, fleet monitoring, and data analysis to optimise the operation and reduce costs through the ‘My Landini’ and ‘Landini Farm’ apps.
Verdict
Overall: love the colour, impressed with its pulling performance and good engine/transmission controls. The touchscreen makes navigating through the machine parameters easy and more importantly, fast. It’s hard to fault the comfort of the Carraro front axle if you don’t mind nipping around with the grease gun on a regular basis (or opting for the factory-fit auto greaser).
The 20 LED lights are well positioned, and although we never got to burn the midnight oil with them, the daytime running lights look snazzy against the ‘Blue Icon’ paint and the black rims. The standard warranty is 3-year/3000 hours, and the important components such as the Carraro front axle, FPT engine and ZF transmission are all time proven. Couple this with the on-board tech and the hydraulic flexibility of this machine and there’s a lot to like here folks, a lot to like.
