Tractors Are Getting Even Bigger

Des Moines Register:

Farmer Dan Glandorf of Williamsburg looked over the new Deere 9R 4WD and could only marvel at the size and scope of the huge machine. The 560-horsepower tractor — with a retail price of $514,606 — is the largest tractor Deere has ever made.
“When I started farming in 1984 I had a 110-horsepower tractor, and it was good-sized for that time,” said Glandorf, who visited the Van Wall Equipment’s John Deere Expo at the Iowa State Fairgrounds last weekend.
The monster 9R tractor is so big it doesn’t have wheels, but tracks similar to those on military tanks or heavy construction equipment.

$514,606?  Our 200 hp tractor only gets about 150 hours a year on it, so it should last a hell of a long time.  That is a damn good thing with the current prices for new machines.