The completely reworked guiding plate provides even more reliable bale wrapping and tying. The plate is open during baling, then closes during wrapping or tying. The end result is an extremely reliable wrapping system.

The new patented CLAAS COVERED wrapping system provides bale coverage right up to the edge, and the CLAAS COVERED XW system provides coverage that extends over bale edges – for a neat, professional-looking end result.

The new 360° rotor, specifically designed for ROTO CUT and HD ROTO CUT, delivers consistently better-shaped bales, particularly when working with a small swath.

The unique drive concept, in which the rotor gets the bale rolling, provides the perfect bale start. This makes it possible to produce significantly more bales per hour, with increased throughput in all conditions.

The machine can be fitted with four different operating systems: OPERATOR, COMMUNICATOR II, S10 steering system and, of course, EASY on board.

While working, you have an excellent overview of the pick-up, and can boost the work rate as required. Depending on the crop and crop flow, you can push the machine to its limits to achieve maximum performance.

• Controlled pick-up, 83"
• (Folding) oscillating pick-up guide wheels for a thorough field clearance
• Optional double-roller crop press for optimal crop flow
• Everything in view

The VARIANT was the first round baler with an 83" pickup – and with good reason: the formidable intake capacities and exceptional performance data are still impressive today. The adjustment of the pickup's working height is tool-free. Also important is the pickup's intelligent control system – this ensures a better crop flow, especially with short material, and increases the service life considerably.

Whatever your preferred width, the pickup's large, oscillating castor guide wheels ensure optimal ground-contour following, and protects the grass cover even at high speeds or when turning. Adjustment of the guide wheels is tool-free in all models.

Only from CLAAS: the belts and the chopping rotor turn in opposite directions, allowing for the immediate bale start necessary to produce a compact core. The high-speed rotor reaches directly into the bale, forcing the bale start – for each and every bale, and in all conditions. This also prevents belt slippage.

Benefits that you can see in every minute of operation, because you can operate the VARIANT at full speed all the time.

You can determine the core compaction in regard to forage quality, and control this conveniently from the cab – for example, maximum core compaction with straw, or a soft core with hay. You can also choose between three default settings, or use two freely adjustable parameters.

A further benefit: the standard feed rotor delivers a uniform crop flow to the bale chamber, allowing significantly more crop to be processed per unit time, and, as a result, you can operate the VARIANT at incredibly high work rates.

The tine arrangement in ROTO CUT and ROTO CUT HD has been improved. The four-star rotor's tines are now distributed in a spiral over 360°, which allows for optimum distribution of even short material and small swaths, and results in a better bale shape.

Fourteen blades for top forage quality. The VARIANT ROTO CUT with its 6.00-mm-thick, four-star dual tines works more precisely, more effectively and faster than other balers.

The four highly durable endless baling belts and the TSUBAKI chains on the VARIANT guarantee you high bale density. The fast belt speed means that the VARIANT turns faster than any other baler.

The belt guide and the profiled, rubber-coated drive train rollers ensure that the belts are always optimally positioned for driving the bale.

Maximum output in the bale chamber too – the hydraulic bale density control system was designed to enable maximum bale density in all conditions. The active hydraulic system combines three hydraulic rams with a dual-tensioning arm system, and ensures actively controlled guidance and smooth movement.

The new distribution units in the 1.7 gal lubricator supply each individual chain with exactly the amount of oil needed for long and smooth-running operation. You can save on cash, in addition to saving valuable maintenance time.

The special net wrap linkage and the lateral spirals adjust the brake force to the decreasing net roll diameter. This ensures a consistent net tension and optimal coverage of the bale from edge to edge. The benefit for you: compact bales that keep their shape and are ready for further processing.

No matter whether it's with hay, straw or silage – the, extra-wide wrapping will deliver perfectly shaped, sturdy bales. The spiral rollers on the VARIANT ensure optimal overlapping and, consequently, protection of the bale edges. The ideal wrap material is the extra-wide, 4.3 ft net roll ROLLATEX PRO XW.

Round baling systems require the machine to stop briefly while the bale is wrapped or tied. However, even in this respect, the VARIANT offers a crucial benefit with its speed and efficiency. The process starts automatically once the desired bale diameter has been reached. The high belt speed of 9.8 ft/s ensures an extremely fast tying cycle, making it possible to continue baling right away without wasting any time – and at record speed.

Developed by CLAAS, and patented by CLAAS – the newly developed guiding plate works in two stages, and ensures an even more reliable tying of the bale. The plate opens during the baling process, and this prevents feed matter from accumulating. The plate closes again during the tying process. This ensures that the net or twine is guided optimally. The result is an extremely reliable tying system – and extremely satisfied operators.

Both net wrapping and double-twine tying start fully automatically. The easily adjustable, precise tying mechanism ensures compact bales that keep their shape. There's a lot of storage space in the VARIANT for the necessary work materials. You decide whether to stow two net rolls or up to ten twine rolls on board.

Whether using net wrapping or tying with double twine, the VARIANT is highly impressive in the field. Following the fully automatic start, the easily adjustable precision tying system grips the bale tightly, producing solid bales that hold their shape – and at record speed, thanks to a bale rotation of 9.8 ft/s.

In order that you can see exactly where it's all happening, how the work is progressing, and if it's progressing at all, the wrap is located in an easily visible area, as is usual with CLAAS balers. The wide-opening panel allows for convenient cleaning and maintenance.

Even those who love their work want to finish up at some point. That's why, every day, we do our best to support you in your daily work, with good ideas, robust equipment and innovative technology. User-friendly, convenient operation is always our number one focus.

The optional COMMUNICATOR terminal has a 5.7" color display. It conforms to the ISO UT standard, allowing convenient control of ISOBUS-compatible implements from the COMMUNICATOR. Needless to say, functions can also be assigned to the F buttons (auxiliaries).

The OPERATOR impresses with its self-explanatory user interface and its convenient customer management, and 28 job memories are available for flexible deployment. In addition, the function keys are backlit. An ISOBUS-compatible device from CLAAS is required when using the OPERATOR.