All the latest farm tractor technology that Renault Agriculture could offer in the early nineties was presented in the Nectra special edition. The most powerful Nectra was based on the contemporary, Le Mans-built 155.54 Turbo, introduced in 1989 and originating from the highly modern Renault TX generation of farm tractors, unveiled in 1981.
The Nectra is equipped with Renault’s high-end TZ cab, offered from 1987 onwards.
The cab’s distinctive feature was its ‘hydrostable’ suspension system with four coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers. Comfort with a capital C, the typical French way.
Back then, those big Renaults were powered by an MWM TD 226-B6 turbodiesel. MWM stands for Motorenwerke Mannheim.
In the type 155.54 tractors, the 6.2 liter inline-six had a maximum power output of 145 DIN-hp.
A cutaway drawing of the tractor’s in-house, powershift-type of transmission with 24 forward gears and 8 reverse gears.
The standard Renault tractor color was orange, but the Nectra was a true ‘Goldstück’. Climate control, a leather seat, and a radio stereo cassette player -yessirreebob!- were all part of the deal.
And co-driver Flipje, the amber rooftop marker lights, and the Hadley air horns are a nice personal touch. Them brodozers ain’t got nothin’ on me!
I suggest we now listen to some Mannheimer Water-cooled Music, brought to you by Renault Agriculture (video courtesy of VolmerFilm).
Nice, tractors that size and bigger seem to be a green colour here, Ive been towed on and off paddock loading pads by them a lot.
Nice highend tractor for the time. Fendt tractors have taken over the local US market, twice the size, twice the power, twice the speed for custom work going from farm to farm and unlike a road tractor you don’t have to stop at the gate.
All farm tractors here do a lot of on-road driving, both for farm work and for earthmoving jobs. Almost all agricultural contractors also use their tractors for towing end dump trailers, hauling all kinds of soil.
Speaking of Fendt, in the past, they were also available with MWM engines (Fendt has never built their own engines).
I had no idea Renault even made tractors. But I guess somebody in France had to.
Mind you, I don’t get out and about on farms these days, and the local agricultural show’s not what it used to be, not all the machinery dealers there were, say, twenty years ago.
That MWM engine sure sounds like it means business. Interesting gearing, must be an ultra wide range box. I don’t see tractors on the road doing that kind of speed here.
Renault’s agriculture division was founded in 1918, 90 years later, the whole division was integrated into the German Claas Group (especially known for their harvesters/combines).
Many (big) tractors can do 50 to 60 km/h. For short distances, in and around built-up areas, heavy trucks aren’t faster. Therefore, those tractors are also perfectly suited for non-agricultural jobs (like earthmoving, as mentioned above). Perfect on- and off-roaders!