The new Bobcat L85 compact wheeled loader (CWL) has been announced as a product discipline winner in the 2021 edition of the world-renowned iF Design Awards. The L85 won in an automobiles/vehicles subcategory, decided by a 98-member jury made up of independent experts from all over the world, from almost 10,000 entries submitted from 52 countries.
The organiser of the awards, iF International Forum Design GmbH, is based in Hannover, Germany, and is the world’s oldest independent design body. For 67 years, the iF Design Award has been recognised as an arbiter of quality for exceptional design. The iF label is renowned worldwide for outstanding design services, and the iF Design Award is one of the most important design prizes in the world.
German design company Lumod GmbH, based in Munich, worked with Bobcat on the L85.
“We’re delighted that the L85 has won in the automobiles/vehicles subcategory of the iF Product Discipline Award and we thank Lumod for its important role in guiding the design of the new machine,” Bobcat’s Jaroslav Fišer said. “The L85 is a product of the Bobcat Innovation Centre on our Dobris campus in the Czech Republic and has been designed to set a new market-leading performance benchmark in this segment of the market.”
CWLs are often used by less-experienced operators, so the machine’s intuitiveness and maximum visibility are key for confident operation. When developing the L85, Bobcat focused on optimising both of these features – resulting in the short, steep rear bonnet and fully glass doors on both sides, providing best-in-class side and rear visibility. The rear-view camera and LED lights further improve visibility. All of the operator controls are grouped on the side console, with the joystick connected directly to the seat armrest (unique in this size category). This increases ease-of-use and comfort even further.
By entering the CWL category, Bobcat now has the largest loader portfolio of any manufacturer in the world. The L85 model, unveiled in October 2020, is now in full production at the Bobcat’s Dobris plant.
Brief Specifications for the L85
Standard bucket: 0.8 cubic metres
Bucket range: 0.6 to 1.2 cubic metres
Operating weight: 5,091kg
Lift height: 3,250mm
Cab height: 2,498mm
Engine: Bobcat D24
Engine power: 68hp
