The John Deere R, which went on sale in 1949, was the brand's first diesel tractor and John Deere's largest model. The engine was a 2-cylinder, very long-stroke, 6.8-liter flat (horizontal) cylinder design. Its power was measured at 48.58 horsepower at the pulley in tests conducted in Nebraska. The compression ratio (16:1) was quite high for its time. The engine was started with the help of a small 10-horsepower gasoline engine. The gasoline engine, in turn, had an electric starter. There were 5+1 gears, that is, one less than in the slightly smaller G models. For the first time in JD's history, the power take-off had its own clutch. The hydraulic pump was also located behind the PTO clutch, which caused this clutch to become overloaded.

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