Caterpillar 910M loading shovel: Multi-talented farmhand

Think Caterpillar, think American. Yet our 910M test candidate is about as British as, say, a JCB, with even its engine hailing from the Perkins plant in Peterborough. Although unlikely to be seen climbing a silage clamp any time soon, on our test the big 8,800kg wheeled loader quickly showed it could adapt to farm life.

Living in the rear of the 910M is a Caterpillar C4.4 Acert motor, a four-cylinder, 4.4-litre lump. This particular machine was relying on a combination of SCR and a DOC to meet Stage IV, but Stage V-compliant models are now rolling out of the factory in Leicestershire — see panel “What’s changed with the 910”.

Good fuel economy

For daily use we really liked the turbocharged and intercooled engine. The 74kW/101hp (at its rated speed of 2,200rpm) unit revs in a relaxed and quiet manner, with impressive fuel efficiency. Shifting soil the 910M sipped a modest 8.5l/hr — a great result.

On the road, diesel guzzle climbed to 11.6l/hr, which highlights the design of this 20km/hr machine (all