There’s no let-up in the increasing size of ag-spec telehandlers, which are almost keeping pace with their construction cousins.

Manitou is the latest to add to its top-of-the-range models with the new MLT 960. As the name suggests, lift capacity is 6t to 9m, which makes it the strongest in the French firm’s farm-friendly line-up.

The hydraulic pump is rated to 180 litres/min and cycle times are around 8.5sec for lifting and 6.5sec for lowering.

A 4.5-litre John Deere lump provides 141hp through a 40kph-rated stepless transmission. The turning circle is 4.3m and it tips the scales at 11.7t, which makes it a pretty big beast.

With that in mind, the 960 is likely to find favour with the green energy boys shifting heaps of maize, but might also appeal to root crop growers regularly stacking heavy boxes.

The cab interior shares plenty of similarities to other models in Manitou’s catalogue, including the love-it-or-hate-it forward/reverse flick switch.

See also: Comprehensive coverage of the Cereals event