GRIMME Showcased VARITRON 470 XL at AGRITECHNICA 2025 with Larger Bunker and Improved Four-Row Harvesting

GRIMME showcased the fourth generation of its VARITRON 470 at AGRITECHNICA 2025, introducing major upgrades that expanded the capabilities of one of the world’s best-selling four-row self-propelled harvesters for potatoes, onions and carrots.

Known for its wide range of equipment options, the VARITRON 470 has built a strong reputation in root crop harvesting, and the latest version incorporated numerous customer-driven improvements aimed at boosting capacity, crop protection, separation performance and operator comfort.

One of the standout additions was the patented NonstopBunker XL, which increased bunker volume to 13 m³. Depending on the crop type, size and level of impurities, this translated to a capacity of up to 11 tonnes. According to GRIMME, the newly developed bunker ranked among the largest in the class of four-row self-propelled machines equipped with roller separators and wheel chassis. 

The larger bunker also offered practical advantages in the field. With a transfer width of 3.15 metres and a maximum transfer height of 4.60 metres, the machine was designed to unload efficiently into large trailers. GRIMME’s patented bunker system, featuring a moving rear wall, enabled fast and gentle crop transfer without requiring the harvester to stop. In addition, the reversible bunker floor allowed operators to use the full bunker volume continuously during refilling. 

To address the needs of growers handling premium-quality table potatoes, GRIMME also introduced a newly developed ConstantFlow bunker. With a capacity of around 5 tonnes and equipped with a cart elevator, the system was designed for uniform box filling with maximum crop protection during harvesting. The ConstantFlow bunker could also be paired with a sorting table, following a concept similar to the proven VARITRON 220 TERRA TRAC.

For growers working in heavier soils, GRIMME further strengthened the machine’s cleaning and separation capabilities. The GRIMME MultiSep, which has been widely used for more than two decades in potato, onion and carrot harvesting, received a 25% increase in hydraulic drive power on the new VARITRON 470. The company also refined its adjustment options to better meet higher demands for cleaning performance and adaptability under varying field conditions. 

For especially sticky soils, additional options were made available to improve both operational reliability and separation results. These included newly designed rollers with more effective lips for the roller separator. 

Powering the upgraded harvester was a Mercedes-Benz (MTU) engine delivering 340 kW / 460 hp, giving the machine the strength needed for high-capacity harvesting conditions. Alongside the performance enhancements, GRIMME also improved operator comfort with the introduction of the new X11 cab, a CCI 1200 operator terminal, and the SmartView video system.

With these upgrades, the new VARITRON 470 XL reinforced GRIMME’s focus on combining high throughput, gentle crop handling and improved cleaning efficiency for professional root crop growers.