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Kirovets (Kirov Plant) K-700, photo 1 of 4Kirovets (Kirov Plant) K-700, photo 2 of 4Kirovets (Kirov Plant) K-700, photo 3 of 4Kirovets (Kirov Plant) K-700, photo 4 of 4
yellow Kirovets K-700 A · Photo: Reise Reise, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kirovets (Kirov Plant) · Post-war · Four-wheel drive

K-700

Built 1962–2002 (K-700 1962–1975, then K-700A) in Kirov Plant (Kirovsky Zavod), Leningrad, now St Petersburg, Russia
Power
215engine hp
Engine
8-cyl 14.86 L Diesel
Weight
12,800kg
Gearbox
16 forward, 8 reverse

The story

The Kirov Plant in Leningrad, a works dating back to the early nineteenth century, began developing a powerful wheeled tractor around 1960, with the tank engineer Joseph Kotin involved. The first K-700 was completed on 13 July 1962, a pilot batch followed in 1963 and series production on the main assembly line began in September 1964.

It combined a turbocharged YaMZ V8 diesel with articulated steering and a 16-speed gearbox that could change gear without breaking drive. In normal work only the front axle was driven, with the rear axle brought in for full four-wheel drive.

The improved K-700A arrived in 1975 alongside the 12-cylinder K-701. Many went to East Germany, and production ended in 2002 when the K-744 took over.

Did you knowIn everyday work only the front axle was driven; the driver engaged the rear axle when full four-wheel drive was needed.
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Specifications

Engine
MakerYaMZ (Yaroslavl Motor Plant)
FuelDiesel (turbocharged)
Cylinders8
Displacement14.86 L / 907 cu in
Power
Rated engine power215 hp
Drive
Transmission16 forward, 8 reverse; hydraulically engaged clutches allow shifts without interrupting drive
Top speed18.6 mph
Size
Weight12,800 kg / 28,219 lb
History
Built1962–2002 (K-700 1962–1975, then K-700A)
FactoryKirov Plant (Kirovsky Zavod), Leningrad, now St Petersburg, Russia
Number madeOver 400,000 including K-701 and other variants (two secondary sources; the maker gives no total, but records the 100,000th tractor in 1975)

About these figures. 215 hp at 1,700 rpm (metric/DIN) for the YaMZ-238 V8 is the most widely quoted figure; other sources give 203 hp for the original K-700 and 220 to 235 hp for later K-700A engines, and the maker itself lists 210/220 hp (K-700) and 220/235 hp (K-700A). The 12-cylinder K-701 (YaMZ-240, about 22.3 L) gave 300 hp. Weight is for the K-700A; the original K-700 is listed at about 11 to 12 tonnes and the K-701 at 13.4 tonnes. Top speed of about 30 km/h is the K-700A figure; other sources quote anything from 28 to 40 km/h depending on version and tyres. Early K-700s are listed by one source with 16 forward and 4 reverse gears.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia: Kirovets K-700
  2. Kirovets (Petersburg Tractor Plant): Company history
  3. Koneviesti Konedata: Kirovets K-700 / K-701
  4. Drom.ru: Kirovets K-700A (K-700, K-701) wheeled tractor
  5. Agriland: Classic corner, is this crusty Kirovets the real beast from the east?

Last checked 1 November 2026