Generation Game

Nowadays it’s rare that something comes along in the world of modern farm machinery that is truly ground-breaking. But go back two or three decades and there were innovations popping up everywhere. The New Holland stable was no exception. It’s fair to say that when the company’s Genesis tractors appeared in 1994 they caused something of a stir.

Spanning the 170hp to 240hp power band, they were either available in Fiat’s trademark terracotta – badged with a G-prefix – or in familiar Ford blue and tagged as the 70-series. A product of the former Versatile factory in Winnipeg, Canada, they were clearly heavyweight prime-movers destined for cultivations duties. But what set them apart was the advanced level of sophistication they brought with them. Ford’s Basildon research team had influence with the engineers at Winnipeg and New Holland Pennsylvania meaning these weren’t your usual no-frills North American prairie acre-eaters.

With their launch came a number of industry firsts. The G/70’s Funk 18 forward, nine reverse powershift transmission boasted a whole array of automated features while up front there was the option of the ultra tightturning SuperSteer front axle. A seemingly minor development, the distinctive bonnet was a one-piece affair capable of swinging up and out of the way for servicing – the first in the world. This sleek shroud hid the new tractors’ biggest asset – the 7.5-litre Genesis engine.

Developed and built at Basildon, this new powerplant was equipped with both a turbocharger and intercooler and its design had focused heavily on producing unprecedented levels of low-end grunt. As such the G/70 tractors produced maximum power at somewhere