25 years of BiG X – a class of its own

25 years ago, KRONE presented its first forage harvester. The BiG X was already setting landmark standards at that time as it still is today with innovative features that ensure a leading role worldwide for it in the market for forage harvesters.

Spelle, 20 May 2025: On this very day 25 years ago, the first BiG X forage harvester rolled off the assembly line in Spelle. This completed KRONE's machine portfolio, which then covered the entire forage harvesting chain. The self-propelled machine presented to the public for the first time that day began as a 40 km/h high-speed machine, officially with 540 HP. The BiG X was available for the market launch with the EasyFlow grass pick-up and the EasyCollect maize header. Just five years later, KRONE made history again: A BiG X prototype was presented in 2005 that broke the magical limit of 1000 HP. Equipped with two synchronized six-cylinder motors, this forage harvester was developed for the most demanding conditions. What began as a prototype back then is now a established size in the forage harvesters market. With the BiG X 1180, KRONE also sets standards as a brand today in the class over 1000 HP and remains unequalled in this league.

BiG X in the pioneer role

The first BiG X was already equipped with some features that were then taken over by other manufacturers. These include an engine with enormous power and a top speed of 40 km/h as well as a fully hydraulic, infinitely variable traction drive on all four wheels. There were also six pre-compression rollers, a chopping drum 750 mm in diameter and 830 mm wide and 32 blades arranged in a V shape. The harvester concept, in which KRONE engineers implemented numerous ideas from practical experience, was from the very beginning designed for maximum throughput with ideal chop quality. Following this maxim, KRONE developed numerous harvester innovations and unique selling point over the course of 25 years, which are a significant factor in the success of the BiG X.

An efficient all-rounder with a lot of comfort

Especially worth noting here are the proven Operator Assist systems and electronic aids such as AutoScan, AutoStop and EasyLoad as well as ConstantPower and XtraPower, which utilise the machine even better and greatly reduce operator work stress. With the EasyFlow, XDisc, EasyCollect and XCollect harvesting headers, BiG X has proven to be an absolute all-rounder, reliably and very efficiently harvesting all field crops from grass to maize with top quality. Especially for use with maize, the perfect chopper unit with a large bandwidth from MaxFlow to Biogas chopping drums in combination with the OptiMaxx conditioner, which conditions crops Intensively, ensures optimum chop quality with maximum throughput. Not least thanks to the unique VariStream system, the BiG X achieves an extremely uniform crop flow.

Limitless power: 20 years of experience in the class of kings above 1000 HP

Stretching across generations, two series of harvesters are now available with a total of 10 models. While the small series of BiG X 480 to 630 covers the range of power from 490 to 653 HP, extremely powerful models with 687 to 1156 HP are available in the large series from BiG X 680 to 1180. All forage harvesters are equipped with the KRONE SmartConnect telemetry unit among other standard features. Thanks to the incorporation of the latest data management, the machine data recorded automatically in real time by this system can be sent to the KRONE SmartTelematics application for further processing or alternatively via the agrirouter to one of the many farm management-systems.

Conclusion: The numerous innovations and continuous ongoing development are the result of passion, dedication and untiring striving for perfection. So it is that after 25 years, the BiG X is still synonymous with performance and reliability – a true testimony to the immense innovative energy of KRONE. To read the full story of the BiG X forage harvester including all the steps in development, visit www.krone-agriculture.com/en/bigx25

Press contact:

Markus Steinwendner
Head of Marketing KRONE Agriculture
+49 5977 935 188 20
markus.steinwendner@krone.de
www.krone-agriculture.com