Cat has expanded its range of lower-cost, lower-spec wheel loaders with the new 65,610-pound, 420-horsepower 980 GC. The new medium-sized model offers low fuel consumption with an on-demand fan, load-sensing hydraulics, intuitive controls and Performance Series buckets for moving materials, loading trucks and other construction tasks.

Additional GC models in Cat’s wheel loader lineup include the 950 GC, 966 GC and 988 GC. The company also recently introduced 10 new full-featured, next-generation medium wheel loaders – ranging from the 42,461-pound 950 to the 78,264-pound 982 – including XE variants.

“We’ve built the new 980 GC on a long legacy of high performance and highly reliable wheel loaders with proven components and integrated Cat machine systems. The loader’s simple user interface, intuitive controls and excellent visibility make for comfortable and efficient operation, even with less-experienced operators,” said Frank Stadelmann, global product application specialist, Caterpillar. “New features to this model, like our Engine Idle Management System (EIMS), minimise idle rpm and fuel consumption to help deliver low owning and operating costs.”