Kubota show off their new U27-4 mini-excavator at Hillhead 2014

A key focus on Kubota’s stand at this year’s show was the recently launched U27-4 zero tail-swing mini-excavator that is expected to raise the bar in the 2–3-tonne weight category.

Rebecca Bryson, national account manager at Kubota, said: ‘Hillhead is a great platform for us to meet existing and potential new customers and show-off our broad range of mini-excavators, tractors and utility vehicles, as well as our high performance Kubota engines. We are particularly excited about showing our new U27-4 at the show, which we have high hopes for in the coming year.’

Featuring the largest and most luxurious cab in its class, the powerful and highly efficient U27-4 ensures operators have unrivalled visibility for greater productivity and increased safety. In addition, a wider and lower entrance makes the cabin simple to enter and exit.

Designed to tackle the most demanding tasks in tight spaces, the U27-4 delivers a powerful and well-balanced digging force, along with a wider working range that rivals higher-end excavators.  This allows operators to dig faster, deeper (2,820mm) and more efficiently, whatever the conditions, whilst providing excellent stability without the need for additional weights that are often required by other zero tail-swing excavators.

Neil Winfield, Kubota Construction’s business development manager, commented: ‘The U27-4 has been introduced following extensive research and development with operators across both the UK and worldwide. This, combined with Kubota’s manufacturing expertise, has resulted in an excavator being designed to meet and exceed the needs of the market.

‘The feedback we received in the 2.5-tonne class highlighted that users wanted more space in the cabin and increased comfort levels, whilst not compromising on performance levels.

‘The new Kubota U27-4 machine has been manufactured to exceed these requirements. It features a newly designed spacious cabin and a deluxe interior, including a relaxing suspension seat that reclines to accommodate an operator’s posture and offers weight compensation. This helps to reduce strain, minimize fatigue and increase operator productivity, particularly over extended periods of use.

‘In addition, Kubota’s intelligent digital panel with its diagnosis function is located towards the front side of the operator for better visibility and accessibility.’

Well suited for use in congested urban areas and inside buildings where space is at a premium, the U27-4’s tail provides minimal protrusion outside the track width, allowing the machine to turn throughout its 360° radius safely and with precise control.

The U27-4 is powered by Kubota’s own world-leading engine, which exceeds the current emission levels required by European legislation. To complement this, when simultaneous operation of the boom, arm, bucket and swivel are required, two variable pumps distribute an accurate amount of oil to each actuator according to the lever stroke, resulting in continuous high-performance digging and dozing.

Anti-theft technology on the U27-4 increases fleet security, whilst the engine and its components are easy to access for any maintenance and service programmes.