Last week John Deere announced they’ll be tooling up and reproducing their iconic two-cylinder tractor.
But before you rush to pre-order, NO you can’t get them in the United States.
The tractor will only be available to farmers in Africa and India. It’s all part of John Deere’s push to get a smaller, cheaper tractor into the hands of farmers in developing countries.
“The old two-cylinder was great for poor farmers in the United States and we think it’s just perfect for developing countries”, said Mark Greggs, head of International Marketing at John Deere.
John Deere leaped into the tractor market with the Waterloo Boy, a two-cylinder tractor the company sold after acquiring the Waterloo Boy Company in 1918.
In 1923 they followed it up with their in-house design, the Model D. The D had the same two-cylinder design with a spoked flywheel that was rated 15 hp on the drawbar and 22 hp on the belt.
Deere continued the two-cylinder design almost too long. Their competitors like International Harvester had more powerful four and six-cylinder engines that farmers really wanted.
In 1960 Deere announced their New Generation line, a drastic redesign where the two-cylinder engine was thrown out the window. The result was a tractor that looked nothing like its predecessor, and had a more powerful engine.
This announcement shook the tractor industry, totally taking International Harvester by surprise.
“John Deere was the leader in two-cylinder tractors and we know we can be again. We’re only making a few minor changes to the design, keeping that iconic look, and same quality”, said Jacob Harley, Chief Engineer, who is the head of the project.
To keep the tractors cheap, they will only be available in the unstyled design Deere used from 1923 to 1939. Also, you will only be able to get your tractor on steel.
“Tires will add another obstacle for these farmers. There’s no tire dealers in most of these areas. If they blow a tire, it’s likely they will never get it fixed and will render their tractor completely useless”, added Jacob.
Deere plans to roll out the tractors in the second quarter of 2027, with the first tractors arriving in Africa and India in late 2027.
“We know this is going to be a game changer in these countries. Deere has the opportunity to make real changes that will increase agricultural production in the region and feed millions of people who have lived with food insecurity for generations”, said Greggs.
To learn more visit John Deere’s website and subscribe to their e-newsletter
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
April Fools!
Copyright Antique Tractor Life 2025
0