Case IH flexes high-horsepower muscle
10th December 2025
Daniel Hodge visited the quiet town of St Valentin, Austria – home to CNH Industrial’s European headquarters and, more importantly, one of its key Case IH manufacturing plants responsible for some of the most technically advanced tractors on the continent.
The event gathered journalists from across Europe to see how Case IH is reshaping the upper end of its line-up. Centre stage was the new Optum range expansion, containing the newly added Optum 360, Optum 390, and top-of-the-line Optum 440, each with 360, 390, and 435hp, respectively.
Alongside it, updated Magnum models underlined the brand’s commitment to serious draft power, while the reborn Steiger 785 Quadtrac stole glances as the most powerful machine Case IH has ever built.
Between spotless factory floors and Alpine test tracks, the St Valentin visit offered a glimpse of a company confident in both its engineering heritage and its tech-connected future.
New higher-horsepower Optum
The new range additions to the Optum series are not positioned as replacements, but instead as natural evolutions of Case IH’s mid-to-high horsepower platform. While the Magnum remains the brute-force puller and the Quadtrac the out-and-out powerhouse, the Optum is positioned as the European all-rounder: a machine equally at home hauling silage trailers down country lanes as it is on the plough or drill.
Under the striking red bonnet lies an FPT Cursor 9 engine – the same 8.7-litre, six-cylinder block used in the Magnum, though re-engineered here as a structural component rather than mounted within a chassis frame. This approach trims both weight, width, and length – improving manoeuvrability without compromising strength. Rated at 435hp, the Optum 440 delivers permanent power across a flat torque curve, tuned specifically for the CVXDrive continuously variable transmission.
Service intervals have been stretched from 600 to 750 hours, matching other recent Case IH models, and giving the Optum an edge in uptime over most competitors. It’s a subtle but important improvement for busy arable and contracting operations where every hour off the field makes a difference.
Efficiency through transmission
The Optum 440 uses the latest 4×2 CVXDrive, providing four fully mechanical ranges in forward and two in reverse. The design allows for 100% mechanical power transfer at four distinct points across the speed range, maximising efficiency for both field and transport work. In practice, that means a seamless pull from crawl speeds right up to 66kph.
For operators familiar with the Optum 340, the driving feel remains largely the same, but torque delivery is more muscular and responsive. Case IH engineers have also fitted a dual pump hydraulic system, offering up to 360-litres per minute total flow. Each pump runs on an independent circuit, with left and right valve banks, giving operators priority control and improved energy efficiency when running multiple implements or hydraulic motors.
Braking, suspension, and control
Transport performance was a clear design focus. The new independent double-wishbone front suspension carries 10.5t and provides 250mm of travel, smoothing out road undulations and stabilising heavy front-mounted implements. The front brakes are now inboard oil-cooled dual discs, doubling braking capacity compared with the previous generation and preventing fade on long downhill runs.
Case IH has also developed a decompression exhaust brake system, working in tandem with a variable geometry turbocharger. The result is impressive – with roughly 166% more braking effect than a conventional exhaust flap alone. On the local alpine gradients, Case IH claims you could descend fully loaded without ever touching the service brakes.
To prevent jack-knifing under heavy engine braking, the advanced trailer braking system automatically applies proportionate pressure to the trailer circuit, maintaining straight-line stability.
Operator experience and details
It’s not just about power and mechanics. The Optum’s cab has been extensively reworked for comfort and usability. Step illumination and integrated aluminium steps make entry safer at night or in poor visibility conditions, while a new integrated toolbox and eight-litre water tank beneath the exhaust let operators clean tools or hands in the field.
Inside, revised suspension software adapts damping rates automatically to terrain, and Case IH claims the new cab is among the quietest in its class. The familiar Pro 1200 display now manages almost every system, from the central tyre inflation system (CTIS) to FieldOps data management.
CTIS can inflate the Optum’s large-volume tyres by one bar in around five minutes – quick enough that by the time the implement is folded, tyre pressures are back to road-ready. Two memory settings for field and one for road pressures simplify operation further, while automatic speed-triggered inflation can handle the changeover if the operator forgets.
Connectivity and technology
As with all new Case IH models, the new Optum range comes with ‘Connectivity Included’ – Case IH’s lifetime, subscription-free connected services package. This enables remote monitoring, telematics, and machine-to-machine communication without ongoing costs. Through the FieldOps platform, operators can access near real-time machine and agronomic data, plan jobs, and even share A-B lines and coverage maps between tractors via AccuSync.
For implement control, Isobus Class 3 and Tractor Implement Management (TIM) compatibility are standard, allowing the implement to adjust the tractor’s parameters automatically for optimal performance, for example, a baler managing ground speed or hydraulic pressure on the fly.
Agile for real-world usability
Despite a wheelbase at 3,190mm – 40mm longer than a Magnum – the Optum is nearly 1m shorter overall, thanks to a more compact cooling package and front-end layout. This gives it a tighter 6.1m turning radius, making it one of the most agile tractors in its class.
Weighing in at around 12,450kg unladen, with a gross vehicle weight of 18,000kg (or 19,000kg where regulations permit), the Optum sits comfortably in the upper mid-range sector. Its flexibility, from heavy cultivation to high-speed haulage, is the reason that Case IH staff repeatedly referred to it as a “multi-purpose tractor for Europe.”
Magnum: The field specialist
While the Optum may be Case IH’s new poster child for European versatility, the Magnum remains the company’s cornerstone for heavy fieldwork. Case IH made it clear during the St Valentin visit that this isn’t a case of one tractor replacing another. The two lines are now designed to coexist – the Optum as a multi-purpose machine for mixed farms and contractors, and the Magnum as the purebred draft specialist.
The 2025 Magnum range introduces three models – the 355, 385, and 405 – covering maximum outputs from 390 to 435hp. Power comes from the familiar FPT 8.7-litre six-cylinder engine, while transmission options remain a choice between 21×5 PowerDrive powershift or the CVXDrive CVT.
A key update for this generation is the brake-to-clutch feature on PowerDrive models. When the brake pedal is pressed, the transmission automatically disengages, allowing for smoother, more precise movements when coupling implements or manoeuvring in confined yards. Releasing the pedal accelerates the tractor to its previous speed – a small but very practical addition for operators who spend long days switching between roadwork and fieldwork.
Further refinements include tweaks to the Automatic Productivity Management (APM) system, enabling finer control of acceleration, gear shift sensitivity and power delivery. Operators can also toggle directly between field and road modes, speeding up transitions between tasks.
At the business end, hydraulic performance has been improved with new electrohydraulic remote valve assemblies, redesigned for better oil retention and reliability. A dual-line trailer brake system is now standard, providing smoother, more confident stopping power.
The Steiger Quadtrac
Completing the line-up at the event was something that makes the ground tremble a little – the Steiger 785 Quadtrac. Described as the most powerful tractor ever built by the brand, it pushes output to a remarkable 853hp, courtesy of the FPT Cursor 16-litre, six-cylinder engine with twin-stage turbocharging.
Power is transferred through a 16×2 PowerDrive transmission and the brand’s TwinFlow 428-litre/min hydraulic system, ensuring there’s no shortage of oil flow for the biggest air seeders and cultivators. For operators who want to make the most of all that power, transfer to the ground is imperative – and now an optional heavy-duty suspended undercarriage keeps the rubber tracks in constant contact with the ground – a design that reduces compaction while smoothing out the ride.
Case IH was keen to point out that despite weighing around 30t, its footprint is so large that its ground pressure is said to be no greater than a “normal man” standing on one foot. It’s an interesting talking point for anyone questioning the practicality of running a 30t, 850hp monster.
Reintroducing the Steiger name marks a return to a high-horsepower heritage. The “Quadtrac” badge now sits discreetly on the rear glass; the statement power, it seems, doesn’t need shouting about.
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