The Renault Ares is a range of agricultural tractors launched by Renault Agriculture, the tractor arm of the French carmaker, in the mid-1990s. It covered the upper-middle part of the Renault line-up, from 100 horsepower, and came with an electronic hitch and a redesigned cab.
Renault Ares at a glance
| Maker | Renault Agriculture (Renault group) |
|---|---|
| Type | agricultural tractor range |
| Launched | 1996 or 1997; French sources differ |
| Power | from 100 hp |
| Series | Ares 500, 600, 700 and 800 |
| Hitch | Tracto Control electronic lift |
| Cab | new-generation Hydrostable cab |
| Range before it | Ceres, introduced in 1992 |
| Larger tractor | Atlès, 197 to 250 hp, from 2002 |
Based on three short Wikipedia texts; the French article on the Ares itself is a stub of one sentence, so technical data such as engine details are not given here.
History of the Renault Ares
A new range for the 1990s
In the early 1990s Renault Agriculture decided on a wholesale renewal of its range, and many new models appeared, among them the Ceres and the Ares. The French Wikipedia article on the Ares dates the launch to 1997, while the company timeline in the article on Renault Agriculture lists the Ares under 1996, so the exact year is best given as 1996–97.
What the Ares offered
Within the Renault line-up the Ares started at 100 hp. It added a new electronic rear-hitch system called Tracto Control, a new generation of the Hydrostable cab and on-board electronics designed to make the farmer’s work easier. The range came in four series, the Ares 800, 700, 600 and 500, and individual tractors carried longer model numbers such as the Ares 540 RX, 610 RZ and 630 RZ.
The last tractors with the Renault name
The Ares belonged to the final generation of Renault tractors, which were given the names of ancient gods. The market was very competitive and not profitable enough for Renault, and the company had already cooperated with John Deere, whose engines it used between 1993 and 1998, and with Massey Ferguson. The tractor business was sold to the German maker Claas between 2003 and 2008, and Renault Agriculture was dissolved in 2008.
Design and features
- Electronic hitch: the Tracto Control system for the rear lift.
- Hydrostable cab: a new generation of the suspended cab used across the Renault range.
- On-board electronics: designed to simplify the tractor driver’s work.
- Four series: Ares 500, 600, 700 and 800, from 100 hp.
Renault Ares versions
- Ares 500 and 600: the lower series of the range.
- Ares 700 and 800: the upper series.
- Numbered models: Ares 540 RX, 610 RZ, 630 RZ and 696 RZ appear on photographs and videos of the tractors.
The Ares is one of the last agricultural tractors of a company whose first tractor grew out of the tank programme of the First World War, the Renault FT. More Renault vehicles are in the Renault collection.
Video: GOPRO Renault Ares 696 RZ FJA Soignies
Video by Arnaud Quintin on YouTube.
Sources
- Renault Ares, French Wikipedia: launch year, maker
- Renault Agriculture, French Wikipedia: Ares range, Tracto Control, Hydrostable cab, timeline
- Renault Agriculture, English Wikipedia: company history, gods’ names, John Deere partnership, sale to Claas
