Ford plans to shut down its Broadmeadows plant in Australia by 7 October 2016.

The company manufactures the Falcon and its Territory spin-off at the plant, which spans 44 acres.

However, Ford will continue to operate its engineering and design facility at Broadmeadows.

In the next 12 months, the company will manufacture one or more special vehicles at the plant to hold sales at a ‘factory-sustaining’ level, The Motor Report said. The vehicles are expected to be a XR8 variant and a turbo XR6 special.

Ford began full local manufacture in Australia in 1960 with a local version of the American Falcon.