Dealers question Lincoln Mercury's future

DEARBORN, Mich., May 27 (UPI) -- Lincoln Mercury sales staff are uncertain of Ford Motor Co.'s commitment to the vehicle in the face of falling sales, several Mercury dealers said.

Ford has put what some dealers claim is a minimal effort into the car, which has experienced a 30 percent drop in sales since 2006, The Detroit News reported Tuesday.

The car-maker plans to roll out a hybrid of the Milan and a polished version of the conventional model this year. But there are no other Mercury plans in the pipeline and the company has cut back on Mercury advertising, dealers said.

"It's clear that there is no new product for Mercury," industry analyst Jim Hossack of AutoPacific told the News.

Ford also canceled an April meeting with dealers in which Mercury's future would have been discussed. Ford said it would meet with dealers in September, the newspaper reported.

Phasing out a car model needs to be carefully planned to avoid lawsuits, as dealer investments in the car could be undermined by a company decision to stop production

"It's planned obsolescence for us," said Dave Knittel, general manager of a Lincoln Mercury dealership in Charlotte County, Fla.