The world’s fastest car is a sought-after accolade and one which is always changing, the magical 300mph barrier already attained by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ and Bugatti Bolide among others. Today’s article focuses on an agricultural vehicle though - normal Agri-vehicles cannot go as remotely as fast as an SSC Tuatara or Koenigsegg Agera RS, but it's not all about speed or acceleration.
If you have a young child at home (or even if you don’t) may find yourself occasionally putting on YouTube videos of trucks, construction vehicles, and agricultural machines. The latter can throw up some very interesting machinery if you happen on the right video, and you start to realize that tractors might have the potential to be the coolest of big vehicles.
The US has at least 166 million hectares of cropland according to USGS.gov, but this was in 2015 – and it was second only to India with 180 million hectares. For such a large area to roam, surely you would need the biggest tractor available. And the biggest of them all is the Big Bud 747; which is the Antonov An-225 of the agricultural world.
Updated July 2022: We have updated this article with more information and the latest whereabouts of the world's glorious tractor - the Big Bud 747.
Big Bud Is Still The Biggest Tractor
Built around 1977 by the Northern Manufacturing company, the original idea was for Big Bud to have 760 hp from a 16-cylinder diesel engine. The engine was a 24-liter Detroit Diesel engine, 3-times larger than a Bugatti Veyron’s 8-liter W16 with the same cylinder count.
This would be a two-stroke engine, a system which is not used widely in production cars anymore but means something simple – it takes only two strokes (a movement up or down of the piston inside the cylinder) in the engine to provide power whereas in a modern 4-stroke motor which you have inside your car (unless it’s an EV) it takes 4 strokes.
While we’re talking about 2 strokes, generally they’re lighter, less complicated, and have an inherently higher power-to-weight ratio. For Big Bud 16V-747, like in any tractor, it was important to have a big, powerful engine at the heart to keep those epic wheels moving.
Torque was at around 3000lb-ft which is 3-times what a typical hypercar produces and Bud managed this with 2 superchargers and 2 turbochargers. A 1,000-gallon fuel tank kept the crude oil flowing while the white behemoth cruised along at 8mph max. Dimensions were 27ft long, 20ft wide, with 14ft in height.
Big Bud Went Into Retirement
Used in different places throughout its life, it ended up in Montana with the Williams brothers by 1997, 20 years after it had been conceived. With a 1100hp output by the end of its days, it was capable of an acre-a-minute plowing rate. In the end, it retired in 2009 for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, since there was no need at the time to plow between growing seasons and such a big tractor was uneconomical or necessary – and secondly, the 2.4-meter diameter tires were no longer available after the bankruptcy of the United Canadian Tire Company.
Where Is The Big Bud 747 Now
After enjoying a warm, cozy retirement in different museums, the Big Bud 747 returned to duty for the Williams Brothers in Chouteau County once again around 2020, after a new large tire, the LWS was available. Currently, though retired from regular duties, the Big Bud flexes its muscles once in a while with its 80-foot wide FRIGGSTAD chisel plow at Williams Brothers farm.
Although Big Bud isn’t the most efficient tractor in the world, and there are now many alternatives that make the same or more power per weight – the Big Bud is 50 tons when rolling – it still stands as an impressive feat of engineering and stands out for its white color scheme, bluff truck-like front grill and the sound it makes on startup which sounds like a street fight between a Hellcat and a Veyron.
Other Tractors That Vibe With The Big Bud 747
So, what about the other contenders for the biggest tractor? If you want big and powerful, the R-Series tractors from John Deere would make good companions out in the field. With a 13.5-liter Cummins motor thrumming away, the John Deere 9570R isn’t as big as the Bud 747, it’s around 6ft narrower and 3ft shorter, plus a couple of feet lower.
It does weigh less than half of Big Bud at around 20 tons though, so with 570hp and a much more modern and efficient engine it more than makes up for its (relatively) diminutive stature. If that’s not enough, you can get the same kind of model but with tracks that will look even more badass as you plow those fields.
For the ultimate in bad-looking Agri-vehicle style, you would have to opt for a Case IH Quadtrac. This will get you around 610hp from a 12.9-liter engine and 4 separate tracks, which according to the Case website is the most powerful tractor on the market, and obviously, the coolest if that’s your thing.
Sources: Bigtractorpower Via YouTube, Agristudios Via YouTube