We’ll know for sure in about half an hour from now, but the word on Australian news sites, including The Australian and ABC Online, is that Ford plans to stop producing cars in the country by 2016, with the official announcement to be made during a press conference at 10.45am (AEST) today.

Much like Holden, Ford of Australia has seen much better days, as the two companies have been struggling the past decade watching their sales plummet and market share eroded by imports.

Annual sales of the locally designed and built Ford Falcon dropped to their lowest level since the company began producing the car at the Broadmeadows factory in 1960, from some 73,000 units in 2003 to less than 20,000 last year.

Citing inside sources, the reports said Ford will close its Geelong engine plant and the Broadmeadows assembly factory in Melbourne by 2016, leaving up to 3,500 people without work, and devastating the local car parts industry.

Hat tip to Josh!

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