It’s not easy to make tractors sexy, but we can make them ‘groovy’.

Basildon’s New Holland plant has done just that as the business celebrates turning 60 this month.

The plant in Cranes Farm Road, has commemorated six decades of producing tractors, combine and grape harvesters, with the creation of a special edition "groovy tractor".

Echo: the factory started out as Ford and was deliberately built 20 miles from the Ford Dagenham plant the factory started out as Ford and was deliberately built 20 miles from the Ford Dagenham plant (Image: Provided)

Put it this way, if Austin Powers drove a tractor - this would be it!

The colourful celebration edition T7 300 is not for sale and has been created for the company to exhibit at events around the country all this year.

However, if you did want to buy it, you’d be looking to hand over an eyewatering £300,000!

Echo: Huge employer - when this photo was taken in the 1960s the plant employed 3,000 workersHuge employer - when this photo was taken in the 1960s the plant employed 3,000 workers (Image: Provided)

Sean Lennon, New Holland Vice President Europe said: “The psychedelic patterns and graphics that adorn the tractor celebrate the era in which the Basildon factory was founded, taking inspiration from the decade which saw so many leaps forward in technological advancement.

“We hope people like it. We’ve made it just for the anniversary but if a customer did want to buy it I’m sure we could make that happen!”

Echo: In the beginning - testing tractor at the plant in the 1960s. You can see the ‘white onion’ in the background.In the beginning - testing tractor at the plant in the 1960s. You can see the ‘white onion’ in the background. (Image: Provided)

The New Holland plant is spread over 100 acres and has around 800 workers, making it one of the biggest employers in Basildon. When it first opened in April 1964 it had more than 3,000 workers and cost £20million to build (£200million in today’s money).

A feature of the factory- which can still be seen today- is the distinctive 125ft hight white ‘onion’ water tower. The tower- although no longer in use, is a listed building and is one of Basildon’s best known landmarks.

Echo: In action - a worker on the site’s production lineIn action - a worker on the site’s production line (Image: Newsquest)

Today, a complete New Holland tractor, with its famous blue colours, rolls off the Basildon assembly line every five minutes.

Every tractor is built for its owner- with over 10,000 different product specifications.

The factory has achieved many firsts and won a plethora of awards.

Echo: Almost finished - one of the company’s famous blue tractors nearing the end of the production lineAlmost finished - one of the company’s famous blue tractors nearing the end of the production line (Image: Newsquest)

In 1971 it produced the world’s first turbo-charged production tractor. In 1982 it used its first robot on the production line.

In 2021 it produced the word’s first 100 per cent methane powered tractor, while this summer the plant’s biggest ever combine harvester will reach farms. As it hits six decades the plant is ploughing investment into research and development and is leading the way in using alternative and fuels in its farming machinery.