Monster 282hp, 20t 457S shovel tops JCB range

JCB has launched its most powerful and heaviest ag-spec shovel to date, ousting its self-proclaimed king of the clamp, the 435S, from the apex of its wheeled loader range.

The new “S” derivative of the industrial-focused 457 is the firm’s new 20t farming flagship and, with payloads north of 6t, is likely to attract interest from sugar beet hauliers, big biogas plants and contractors shifting vast quantities of silage and muck.

As such, it has gone through a similar redesign to its “S” stablemates – the 419S and 435S. This includes a new rear chassis and counterweight, and changes to the transmission, axles and wheels.