Ford plans to trim dealerships in 18 cities

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it plans to trim the number of dealerships it has in 18 metropolitan areas across the country, blaming sliding car and truck sales for the decision.

Most of the metro areas are east of the Mississippi River, but the company would not identify exactly what markets would be targeted. Dealers were told of the effort at the company’s annual dealership meetings, which wrapped up last week in Las Vegas.

Ford has about 4,300 Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealerships nationwide, and dealer profits have declined an average of 10 percent in the first half of 2006, company spokesman Jim Cain said..

Its market share has declined from around 26 percent in the early 1990s to 17 percent at the end of July. Cain said Ford has no target number or timetable for the dealership reduction.