The most popular articulated tractors: BCS, Ferrari, Pasquali, Antonio Carraro, Valpadana and Goldoni

The most popular articulated tractors and isodiametric compact tractors in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany almost all come from Italy: BCS, Ferrari and Pasquali from the same factory, Antonio Carraro, Valpadana and Goldoni. They look alike, often share the same Kubota or Yanmar engine, and yet they differ on points that matter when you buy and maintain one. In this blog we list the common models per make, with engine, power, lift capacity and weight, and with what you need to know before you buy a used one.

The figures come from factory brochures and technical data sheets; where we had to fall back on dealer or second-hand data, this is marked as indicative. Read our blog on the difference between an articulated tractor, a reversible tractor and an ordinary compact tractor first if the codes AR, RS, SRX and ISM do not mean anything to you yet.

BCS: Invictus, Valiant, Volcan and Vithar

BCS is the parent company of the group that also includes Ferrari and Pasquali. The three makes build technically identical tractors in different colours: blue for BCS, green for Ferrari, yellow for Pasquali. So if you are looking for an Invictus 35, you might just as well look at a Cromo 35 or a Siena 35.

The Invictus K300 and K400 are the best-selling small BCS tractors of the last fifteen years and the machines we get the most questions about at Shop4trac. They have a dry single-plate clutch, rear drum brakes, mechanical differential locks front and rear, a 43 litre tank and a hydraulic pump delivering 16.5 litres per minute at 125 bar. The chassis oscillates 15 degrees. The driving position on these models is not reversible; if you want that, you end up with the Valiant 60, which also comes as standard with electro-hydraulic PTO engagement and a wet clutch.

Ferrari: Cromo, Mizar, Vega, Thor and Cobram

The Cromo 35 RS Junior is a popular entry-level model for landscapers and hobby farmers: the same Kubota three-cylinder as the Invictus, but with a simpler 500 kilo linkage and a shorter options list. On the Thor, watch the engine letter: the Thor K90 has a Kubota V3800, the Thor F90 a VM four-cylinder. That makes all the difference for parts, from starter motor to filters. We have not found a Vega 75 in the factory documentation; if you are offered one, it is a good idea to photograph the type plate.

Pasquali: Siena, Eos, Ermes, Orion

Pasquali is the yellow version from the same factory. The current line consists of the Siena 35 (AR, RS, Junior and Junior Micro) with the 25 hp Kubota 1,123 cc, the Eos 60 (Kohler, 49 hp), the Anteus 65, the Ermes 70 (Kohler, 63 hp) and the Mars, Orion and Helios in the 75 to 90 hp class, whose K90 versions again have a Kubota V3800. On the used market you mainly come across the Siena K6.30 RS (Kubota D1105, 25 hp, 980 kg) and the Siena K6.40 RS and SDT RS (Kubota V1505, 35.6 hp, 1,005 to 1,120 kg, lift 1,050 kg, pump 22 litres per minute). The Siena K6.40 RS is technically identical to the Ferrari Cromo K40 RS and the BCS Invictus K400 RS; the K5.30 and K5.40 were the articulated versions.

Antonio Carraro: Tigre, TTR, TRX, SRX and TGF

Antonio Carraro from Campodarsego is the other big make in this niche and has its own naming. Important to know: only the SRX is a true articulated tractor. The Tigre, the TTR, the TRX and the TGF steer with the wheels and have an oscillating chassis that Carraro calls ACTIO; that is not articulation but a 15 degree oscillation lengthwise. The TTR and TRX are reversible, the TGF is the low-profile orchard tractor with a bonnet barely 1.13 metres high.

The TTR 4400 has been the standard for landscapers, councils and golf courses for over twenty years: reversible, hydrostatic with three ranges (up to 6, 12 and 28 km/h), independent 540/1000 PTO and a 33 litres per minute pump. Depending on the series, the engine is a Yanmar 3TNV88 (with common rail in the later series); the oldest TTRs from around the turn of the century may have a different engine, so always check the type plate on the block.

Valpadana: VP 4600, 7000 and 1500

Since 1995 Valpadana has been part of the Argo group (Landini, McCormick), where it is the make for specialist tractors. The most popular used model is the VP 4600 series: the 4630 (Yanmar 3TNV76, 23 hp), the 4645 (Yanmar 3TNV88, 35 hp, 1,280 kg, lift 1,000 kg) and the 4655 (Yanmar 4TNV88, 47 hp), available as ISM (steering front wheels), ARM (articulated) and VRM (larger rear wheels), with an 8+4 gearbox with shuttle and 30 km/h. The 6560 ISM (2007-2018) has a 54 hp Yanmar 4TNV84T turbo, but note: the 6575 has a 2.4 litre John Deere 4024 four-cylinder, so no Yanmar. Above that sit the VP 7000 and 9000 as IS (reversible with steering wheels) or AR with FPT or Deutz engines, depending on the year of manufacture. The current line consists of the VP 1550 and 1560 (Kohler KDI 1903, 49 and 57 hp, steering wheels). Older types such as the 1550, 6560 ISR and 96105 ISR still turn up regularly.

Goldoni: Base 20, Euro, Star, Ronin and Quasar

Goldoni from Carpi has had a turbulent decade: shut down in 2015, taken over by Lovol, bankrupt again in 2020 and owned by Keestrack since 2021, which now builds a new line (Q, T, E and C series and an electric B1e) with Doosan engines. On the used market it is all about the older generation. The Base 20 is the smallest articulated tractor you will come across: 750 kilos, an air-cooled 954 cc Lombardini two-cylinder (12LD475/2) of 22 hp, 6+3 gearbox, 500 kilo lift, 45 degree articulation angle and an oscillating front axle. No radiator, no coolant, and according to dealers practically indestructible. Above that sit the Euro 30/40/45 (25 to 38 hp, RS or SN; the old Euro 30 and 40 air-cooled, the EVO versions with water-cooled Lombardini LDW 1503 and 1603), the Ronin 40/50 and Aster 45 (Lombardini LDW 2204), the Maxter 60 and Cluster 70 (VM D703) and the Star 3050/3070/3080, Energy and Quasar with VM engines (HR394/HR494 on the older ones, D754/D704 on the newer ones). The Boxster 20/25 has a Yanmar 3TNV70/3TNV76.

Which engine is fitted, and what does that mean for parts?

In the 25 to 40 hp class you come across four engine families. The Kubota D1105 and V1505 (BCS group, also in Knikmops and many compact loaders), the Yanmar 3TNV76 and 3TNV88 (Antonio Carraro, Valpadana, Goldoni Boxster), the Lombardini LDW series (Goldoni, BCS Vivid) and, on older Goldonis, the air-cooled Lombardini two-cylinder. From 50 hp upwards, Kohler KDI (the successor to Lombardini), Kubota V3800 and VM dominate.

On new and recent machines, pay attention to the emission class. The Stage V models with a 49 to 75 hp Kohler KDI (BCS Valiant 60, Volcan 85, Vithar 85, Ferrari Cobram 60, Vega 85, Pasquali Eos 60, Orion 85, Valpadana VP 1550/1560) have a diesel particulate filter with regeneration; the small 25 hp models (Invictus 35, Cromo 35, Siena 35, Vivid 35) and the mechanically injected Yanmars in the Carraro TTR 4400 and Valpadana 4600 do not. If you make a lot of short trips or leave the machine idling for long periods, that is a real difference in maintenance and susceptibility to faults.

For the Kubota and Yanmar engines the parts supply is excellent: filters, glow plugs, water pumps, thermostats, V-belts, head gaskets and complete overhaul kits are common items. Watch the details that differ per machine: BCS uses its own air filter housing with an outer and inner element, the oil filter of the Kubota 05 series has an M20x1.5 thread, and the starter motor of the D1105/V1505 comes in versions with 9 and with 13 teeth. For Lombardini and VM the choice is narrower; there a good dealer matters more than with a Kubota machine.

Buying a used articulated tractor: what to look for

Experiences from owners and workshops keep coming back to the same list. The known problems per make and model, with the engine that is fitted, are covered in detail in the blog on articulated tractor faults. What we have gathered from forums and dealer practice is presented neutrally here; part numbers are for reference and should always be verified against the serial number.

• Type plate and engine block. Photograph the tractor’s type plate and the number on the engine block. A Thor F90 and a Thor K90 share the name, not the engine. On old TTR 4400s and Tigres the engine differs per series.
• Centre pivot. Have someone move the steering wheel back and forth with the engine running while you watch the pivot. You see and hear play in the bushes and pins straight away. Worn bushes can be replaced, but it is a job.
• Steering cylinder and hoses. Weeping or leaking at the steering cylinder and hoses chafing across the centre pivot are the most reported hydraulic complaints. Heavy or uneven steering is more likely to come from worn cylinder seals than from the orbitrol.
• Clutch and PTO. On the small models with a dry clutch: free play and judder on engagement. On models with an electro-hydraulic PTO: does it engage firmly every time? Cromo owners report a PTO that engages intermittently and a creaking selector, often combined with transmission oil that has never been changed.
• Hydrostatic drive (Carraro TTR). Test in both directions on a slope. Weak forwards and fine in reverse points to linkages or a pressure relief valve, not straight away to the pump. Leaks at the second service do occur.
• Cooling. Radiators on tractors used for flail mowing clog up; overheating and a welded or replaced radiator are not unusual. Check the coolant level, the colour and the condition of the fins.
• Reversing mechanism. Turn the seat round and check that the steering wheel, pedals and the steering direction changeover work smoothly and lock.
• Hours and wear. Hour meters are not always original. Worn pedal rubbers, a shiny steering wheel and a sagging seat say more than a low reading.
• Parts prices. Make-specific parts (pivot bushes, bodywork, electronics) are expensive and sometimes take a long time to arrive. Engine parts for Kubota and Yanmar are not.

What does a used articulated tractor cost?

As an indication, from adverts in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Italy in 2025 and 2026 (VAT status varies per seller): a BCS Invictus K300 or K400 from 2015 to 2022 goes for roughly 11,000 to 18,500 euros, an Antonio Carraro TTR 4400 from 2004 to 2017 for 9,000 to 24,000 euros depending on hours and specification, a recent Tigre 3200 or 3800 with fewer than 150 hours for 15,000 to 17,000 euros, a 2018 Valpadana 4655 around 20,000 euros and a Goldoni Base 20 around 8,000 euros. New, a 25 hp articulated tractor from the BCS group is in the region of 20,000 to 25,000 euros excluding VAT, depending heavily on specification and country (indicative).

Frequently asked questions