Less is more with Goldacres Atrac M Series

GOLDACRES’ Atrac series, a new cab/chassis tractor line-up, will be on show at the Wimmera field days.

The Atrac MT8, one of Goldacres' new tractor line-up, are designed to mount fertiliser-spreader units.

GOLDACRES has launched a new cab/chassis tractor line-up based on its existing self-propelled sprayer platforms.

The Ballarat manufacturer’s new M Series machines will be sold and marketed under the new Atrac brand name and are intended to be used primarily, but not only, as a platform to mount fertiliser-spreader bodies.

They will be sold as a bare cab/chassis, leaving the dealer or customer to arrange their desired spreader body or other attachment.

A prototype M4 with a spreader body from Victorian company Southern Spreaders will take pride of place at the Goldacres stand at next month’s Wimmera field days.

“We’re promoting them as a multipurpose tractor,” said Goldacres sales and marketing operations manager Stephen Richards.

“It’s a market we haven’t explored and we don’t really know who’ll be buying them yet and exactly what applications they’ll be used for — the sky’s the limit, I guess — but we’ve already had inquiries from fire brigades and the like wanting big-capacity tankers.”

The current Atrac range includes the M8 and M4, with a third variant to be launched sometime next year.

The M8 is based on Goldacres’ G8 Super Cruiser platform and shares that machine’s 6.7-litre Cummins Tier 3 engine, fixed 3m track and mandatory 4WD drivetrain.

The smaller M4 is based on the G4 Crop Cruiser — a popular machine with cotton growers — and offers the same 4.5-litre Cummins Tier 3 engine and choice of fixed or hydraulically adjustable 2-3m track and 2WD or 4WD drivetrain.

“A conventional tractor doesn’t have much ground clearance and you can’t really put much on the back, but the M8 will handle about 11 to 12 tonnes on the back,” Mr Richards said.

“The M4 is physically smaller but still has a lot of clearance and carries about six tonnes. It’s very versatile.

“We’re sort of making the M4 for the northern states where they grow cotton. Wherever you can take the G4 you’ll be able to take an M4 spreader, water tanker or whatever you want to use it for, it basically goes in the same wheel tracks.

“As for the M8, we think spreading will be its main purpose, but who knows?”

The Atrac machines stand out from their all-green Goldacres relatives with a black-and-white colour combo and will be priced from about $260,000 (+GST) for the M4 and $360,000 (+GST) for the M8.

Check out the Atracs at site Y1-10, or for more details, visit goldacres.com.au

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