New Holland’s Basildon, U.K., plant will celebrate half a century of continuous tractor operations in 2014. To commemorate this important milestone, Golden Jubilee limited editions of the T7.270 Auto Command and T6.160 Auto Command will be produced.
These exclusive tractors were unveiled in North America at the World Ag Expo in Tulare, CA. They will be a limited edition, built only during the Jubilee year.
In addition to these two celebratory tractors, all models produced at New Holland’s Basildon plant in 2014 will feature a special 50th anniversary decal, which recalls the elegant lines of the T6 and T7 tractor series.
“The New Holland plant at Basildon has been at the center of our tractor operations for 50 years. Today it produces tractors in the 120 to 270 hp range, which are helping farmers across the globe to farm in an ever more productive, sustainable and efficient manner,” says Carlo Lambro, Brand President of New Holland Agriculture. “These exclusive Golden Jubilee editions celebrate the unparalleled success of both the T7.270 Auto Command and the T6.160 Auto Command.”
T6.160 and T7.270 Auto Command Golden Jubilee editions
Exclusive Golden Jubilee editions of Basildon’s two flagship products will be produced. The T7.270 Auto Command Golden Jubilee is the most powerful tractor ever to be built at Basildon and the T6.160 Auto Command Golden Jubilee represents the pinnacle of mid-range tractor technology. Both models will feature metallic Profondo Blue paint, a rich midnight blue shade, gold grilles, exhaust guard and model identification. Additional elements include a luxurious interior boasting an optional full leather seat, leather steering wheel and a thick pile carpet. Fully integrated IntelliSteer auto-guidance is available.
Half a century of making tractor history
The construction of a dedicated factory built for the fully integrated production of tractors began in Basildon in 1962. On May 15, 1964, the very first tractors went down the production line of Europe’s most modern tractor manufacturing facility. A quarter of a century later, in 1989, over two million engines had been produced and the now iconic Ford 7810 Silver Jubilee model was launched to commemorate this important milestone. Another key year for Basildon was the unveiling of the state-of-the-art visitors’ center in 2012, the same year the plant achieved Bronze World Class Manufacturing status and the U.K. Prime Minister, David Cameron, visited the factory.
Since 1964 over 1.6 million tractors and 3.1 million engines have been produced at Basildon. Today the plant employs more than 1,000 people dedicated to producing industry-leading tractors. The facility can accommodate more than 10,000 different product specifications and 85% of total production is exported across the globe.
Modernizing global agriculture
Basildon’s tractors themselves have shaped modern agricultural history, dating back to the first Ford 1000 Series models of the mid-1960s. They ushered in the era of modern agriculture, and they were completely new from the ground up: new engines and transmissions ensured this range was an instant hit across the globe. The Ford 40 Series were groundbreaking models in the early 1990s. They featured the renowned PowerStar engines, also built at Basildon. These tractors improved farming comfort, thanks to the cab, which offered a quiet, roomy operating space, advanced closed center load sensing hydraulics and the forerunner of the ElectroShift transmission. Following the impressive global launch, sales of this 75-120 hp range reached the 100,000 unit mark.
Improving productivity and enhancing comfort while increasing sustainability
The TS Series was launched in the late 1990s and was an evolution of the 40 Series. This range was the first to feature New Holland’s distinctive styling, characterized by the sloping hood. It was also the very first range to benefit from Tier 1 emissions technology: signaling the start of New Holland’s unswerving commitment to reducing the environmental impact of farming. The TM Series, developing between 120 to 190 hp, became synonymous with excellent performance and outstanding ease of use thanks to the introduction of the Terraglide front axle suspension. It was also the first range to benefit from productivity-enhancing Engine Power Management technology.
Basildon tractors have always been at the cutting edge of transmission technology. The T7000 Series boasted the best powershift in its segment, in the form of the Power Command transmission. Multi-award winning Auto Command™ continuously variable transmission technology came to Basildon in 2009 on the T7000 Series, as did the benchmark ergonomic SideWinder II armrest.
The plant’s latest ranges, the T6 and T7 Series, are continuing this productive, efficient and sustainable heritage. They are equipped with state-of-the-art ECOBlue SCR technology, developed by FPT Industrial, to meet the latest emission regulations, which has reduced fuel consumption by up to 10% while simultaneously improving productivity.
