Fendt tractors have a long-standing reputation as a premium tractor brand. Excellent build quality and high specification, with excellent levels of reliability, commanded a high price tag for the German tractors, making them previously somewhat of a rarity in the farming landscape. Long before the introduction of Fendt’s famous ‘Vario’ CVT transmission, in the late 1970’s Fendt was still very much a law of the lever tractor, albeit with a twist.

Built like a tank, the six-cylinder Fendt Favorit 600 range was originally introduced in 1972, and received its first update in 1976. The comprehensive line-up consisted of the 610, 611, 612, 614 and 615 with the upgrade designated by the SL lettering.

The range spanned a very broad 85-150 hp, offering a six-cylinder tractor for almost every application.

The Favorit 610 SL is powered by a six cylinder straight 6.2l MWM engine producing 90hp. Early models had a 12F/6R gearbox with a mechanical splitter. The tractor has a lift capacity of 4.5tons, hydraulic flow of 45l/min. both 540 and 1000 PTO speeds, and tips the scales at a beefy 5.3 tons.

The aforementioned twist was the ‘Turbomatik’ or turbine fluid clutch, which provides smooth gear changes while also giving the tractor the characteristics of torque drive, allowing the operator to bring the tractor to a standstill by only using the brakes. With a gear selected and the clutch released the tractor only starts to move when the throttle pedal is pressed and the tractor effortlessly moves away.

Key to the upgraded Favorit range was the all new cab, highly functional with good levels of visibility and an abundance of levers. Floor-mounted gear levers are positioned to the right of the driver, while spool valve and linkage controls are housed in a console conveniently located to the side of the operator’s seat. A front opening window provides ample airflow on a warm day, with visibility further aided by the side mounted exhaust and low air intake.

Constantly upgraded over its 16-year production run, production of the Favorit models ceased in 2000, replaced by the Vario range. The final evolution of the Favorit was released as the Favorit 926 Vario in 1995, the first Fendt tractor to be released with Fendt’s famous Vario CVT transmission. If you have a Fendt Favorit tractor, please get in touch.

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