In this Equipment Roundup, DTN/Progressive Farmer looks at Massey Ferguson revealing its 8S Xtra tractor, CLASS building its 10,000th LEXION combine, Case IH's Quadtrac 715 tractor winning a Red Dot Design Award and Briggs and Stratton adding a partner to its battery enterprise.

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MASSEY FERGUSON INTROS 8S XTRA

Massey Ferguson announced the introduction of its new MF 8S Xtra series tractor, featuring new styling, increased efficiency and improved operator comfort.

The 8S Xtra replaces the "Exclusive" version and is available in North America as a model year 2026 update to the 8S series, which was first introduced in 2020. The 8S Xtra is available for orders and will be delivered in 2026.

8S Xtra updates bring its appearance in line with that of the MF 9S tractor, featuring black grills and matte-black bonnet side panels and an updated exhaust pipe. Other options include a reversible fan and a 360-degree LED light package.

The MF 8S Xtra is available in six models from 205 horsepower to 305 horsepower (AGCO Power 7.4-litre engines), with Engine Power Management (EPM) intelligently boosting power by up to 20 horsepower, and a choice of Dyna-7, Dyna E-Power dual-clutch or Dyna-VT transmissions.

Here are a few features:

-- Cab. Dual-Motion seat option, electrically adjusted external rear-view mirrors, a rear window demister and a revised microphone position. New steering wheel design with optional spinner ball. Optional entertainment pack with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Focal speakers.

-- Technology. Technology upgrades include MF AutoTurn, MF Section Control for automatic control of up to 96 sections and AEF Isobus certification.

-- CTIS. A Central Tire Inflation System is available to manage compaction and reduce fuel consumption.

-- LED lights. LED 360 lighting includes 20 ultra-bright LED work lights, giving the MF 8S Xtra up to 51,500 lumens of lighting power, 17,400 lumens more than its predecessor.

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CLAAS BUILDS 10,000TH LEXION

CLAAS has just rolled its 10,000th Lexion combine off its assembly line.

The first LEXION 400-series combines were produced in Omaha, Nebraska, nearly three decades ago. That combine came with a first-of-its-kind Accelerated Pre-Separation (APS) Hybrid System, which independently controlled threshing and separation. Its TERRA TRAC undercarriage reduced compaction decades before competitors offered tracks.

Today, LEXIONs offer autonomous systems like the CEMOS operator assistance system, sensing crop conditions and machine capacity, automatically adjusting settings to optimize throughput and maximize grain retention.

"The LEXION stands in a class of its own because at CLAAS, we are constantly innovating and bringing new technology to our equipment lineup," said Matthias Ristow, president and managing director business administration at CLAAS Omaha Inc.

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CASE IH QUADTRAC WINS DESIGN AWARDS

The 2025 Red Dot Design Awards has recognized Case IH brand's Quadtrac 715 tractor in two categories.

The Case IH Quadtrac 715 was included in both the Commercial Vehicles: Product Design and Innovative Design categories of the Red Dot Awards. Red Dot is one of the world's largest design competitions, with more than 18,000 entries from 70-plus countries recorded for this edition.

"This award recognizes the work of our in-house design team -- who skillfully melded strikingly purposeful design with practical style, while implementing advanced engineering such as the new Heavy-Duty Suspension," said David Wilkie, head of industrial design at CNH.

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VANGUARD WELCOMES NEW BATTERY TECHNOLOGY PARTNER

Briggs & Stratton has announced that Depatie Fluid Power, a Michigan-based provider of motion and control solutions, is its newest Vanguard Battery Technology Partner. Depatie Fluid Power specializes in providing engineered systems and custom products for both mobile and industrial applications.

The Vanguard Battery Technology Partner program is designed to integrate Vanguard's advanced battery technology with the specialized expertise of industry-leading partners. Depatie Fluid Power will utilize Vanguard lithium-ion battery packs to deliver electrification solutions to its customers.

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AGCO AND TAFE REACH AGREEMENT

AGCO Corporation has announced a set of agreements resolving all outstanding disputes and other matters related to the commercial relationship between AGCO and Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited (TAFE), as well as TAFE's shareholding in AGCO, ownership and use of the Massey Ferguson brand in India and other countries.

Terms of the settlement mean all commercial agreements between AGCO and TAFE will be terminated. Ownership of the "Massey Ferguson" brand will rest with TAFE on an exclusive basis in India, Nepal and Bhutan.

TAFE will no longer be entitled to nominate a representative to the AGCO Board of Directors, and AGCO's director on TAFE's board will step down. TAFE will repurchase AGCO's current shareholding in TAFE for an aggregate amount of $260 million.

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KUBOTA ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE MOVES

Kubota North America Corporation (KNA) has announced leadership changes. Todd Stucke will take on new responsibilities in Japan as deputy general manager of the Farm and Industrial Machinery Consolidated Division and deputy general manager of the Customer Solutions Division at KBT (Kubota Corporation).

Stucke will be succeeded as president of Kubota Tractor Corporation (KTC) by 25-year Kubota veteran Alex Woods. Stucke will continue to maintain a connection with KTC as its chairman, and he will continue in his role as senior vice president of KNA and will participate on the KNA Executive Board.

"Stucke has contributed greatly to the growth of the North American market, and his expertise is invaluable as we seek to expand our business worldwide," said Nobuyuki Ishii, senior managing executive officer of Kubota Corporation and president of Kubota North America Corporation.

Dan Miller can be reached at dan.miller@dtn.com

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