THE new Bobcat L85 compact wheel loader has been honoured at the 2021 iF Design Awards.
The machine triumphed in an automobiles/vehicles subcategory decided by a 98-member jury from almost 10,000 entries submitted from 52 countries.
The organiser of the awards, iF International Forum Design GmbH, is based in Hannover Germany. For 67 years, Bobcat said the iF Design Award has been recognised as an ‘arbiter of quality for exceptional design’.
Working with Bobcat on the L85 was Munich-based design company Lumod GmbH. Jaroslav Fišer, product line director for the Bobcat compact loader range in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said, “We are delighted that the L85 has won in the automobiles/vehicles subcategory of the iF Product Discipline Award and we thank Lumod for their important role in guiding the design of the new machine. The L85 is a product of the Bobcat Innovation Center on our Dobris campus and has been designed to set a new market-leading performance benchmark in this segment of the market.”
When developing the L85, Bobcat said it focused on optimising machine intuitiveness and maximum visibility, resulting in the short, steep rear bonnet and fully glass doors on both sides. The rear-view camera and LED lights further improve visibility. All operator controls are grouped on the side console, with the joystick connected directly to the seat armrest.
Jaroslav Fišer added, “The L85 also brings Bobcat’s iconic ‘One Tough Animal’ brand language into the CWL market. Powerful, agile, robust. The prominent tailgate grill frame in Bobcat orange is the unique feature element. Sophisticated 3D-shape artwork – carrying signet, model number and logo – is new and underlines the machine’s robustness. The interior is equipped with strong branding elements that connect the exterior with the interior and give the operator the powerful Bobcat-like feeling.”
The L85 model is now in full production at the Bobcat plant on the Dobris campus in the Czech Republic.
