PART 4
The Massey Ferguson 500 Series represented a big change in direction for the company; it was the first range of MF tractors to be designed to fulfil all the needs of the new ‘quiet cab’ legislation, with the brand new Supercab being an integral part of the tractor itself instead of an added-on afterthought. The result was a very distinctive range of mid-sized models aimed at the European market, with machines that were much more advanced than those that had gone before, in terms of driver comfort.
There were basically five models in the range, starting with the three-cylinder, 47hp 550, then the four-cylinder, 60hp 565, the 66hp 575, the 75hp 590 and the range-topping, 88hp 595. There was also the 56hp 560 model, which was introduced at the very start, but only sold in certain countries. The range was built at both the Banner Lane factory in Coventry, and at the Beauvais plant in France, with the flagship 595 model being exclusively French-made.
However, as the 500 Series was so radically different from the previous 100 Series range, it was perhaps inevitable that a few issues would
