At Agritechnica 2025, brand Krone celebrated the 25th anniversary of the debut of its “Big X” self-propelled forage harvesters by exhibiting a limited-edition black-livery version of its flagship model, the “Big X 1180”
The year 2000 was when Krone’s “Big X” self-propelled forage harvesters first entered maize fields—machines that, over a quarter century of operation, have become a benchmark in their market segment. Krone chose Agritechnica 2025 as the ideal occasion to celebrate this milestone with two novelties: one virtual, the new “Big X 860,” and one decidedly tangible, the commemorative black edition of the top-of-the-line “Big X 1180.”
The former—an especially interesting model for the domestic market—distinguishes itself through its new Liebherr D976 inline six-cylinder engine with 18 liters of displacement, delivering up to 843 hp and 4,000 Nm of torque at 1,300 rpm, values that allow the machine to travel on the road with reduced energy consumption. This contributes to lower operating costs, further supported by extended oil change intervals of 1,000 hours or two years.
At Hannover, however, visitors’ attention was drawn primarily to Krone’s most powerful machine, the “Big X 1180,” which with its 1,156 hp delivered by a Liebherr D9512 V12 engine with 24.2 liters of displacement currently holds the performance leadership in its segment.
A combination of power and elegance, the version showcased in Spelle’s booth was paired with a new 16-row maize header offering a 12-meter working width—dimensions which, though impressive, do not prevent the “Big X 1180” from traveling on public roads without escort thanks to hydraulic folding systems that keep the transport width within the standard three meters.
This means no issues for contractors when moving between fields, especially considering that the increased field throughput provided by the new header is supported by the OptiMax rollers (305 mm in diameter, 710 mm wide) fitted on the “Big X 1180.” Their helical-tooth profile ensures intensive preliminary conditioning of the incoming plant material.
A constant and continuous crop flow is further ensured by the cushioned base of the chopping rotor and the presence of a discharge accelerator, key elements of the VariStream crop flow management system. Once processed, the crop is chopped by MaxFlow rotors equipped with 20, 28, or 36 standard knives, or in the biogas-specific versions with 40 or 48 knives. Fragment length can be adjusted through the VariLoc system, enabling a final chop size ranging from 4 to 30 millimeters, the latter ideal for ensuring adequate structural fiber content in maize silage.
All operating parameters of the “Big X 1180” can be easily managed from the cab, which can be hydraulically raised by 70 centimeters via the optional LiftCab system, further enhancing field visibility.
Growing families
In addition to the limited-edition “Big X 1180,” Krone highlighted several product-range expansions, most notably the new “Big Pack HDP II 1290 VC” for producing 120×90 cm high-density square bales. True to the Big Pack tradition, the new model is designed primarily for gathering and compressing straw—even when particularly dry.
The “VC” designation refers to the new VariCut cutting rotor, with a diameter of 720 mm and available in two configurations: 26 knives or 51 knives. In the first case, cutting lengths start from 44 mm, while the 51-knife setup reduces this to 22 mm.
At Hannover, the new “Big Pack HDP II 1290 VC” was exhibited together with the “Bale Collect” trailer, a practical solution capable of holding three 120-cm bales, or five 80-cm bales, providing simplified bale collection while reducing operating time and costs.
Title: Krone Big X 1180: praise of style
Translation with ChatGPT
