Geely Automble Hldgs.

“We want to make sure that if we sell the business, we sell it as a going concern,” Booth said in an interview in Detroit yesterday at the North American International Auto Show. “We need to ensure they have technological support until they can develop it themselves or find it from someone else.”

Ford needs Volvo to stay healthy as a supplier of diesel engines for vehicles built in Europe, Booth said.

“We need to make sure when we sell these assets that they still have a good future,” Booth said. “Long term, you provide support of technology, platforms and powertrains to ensure that as the business is bought, it still has value.”

Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s product development chief, wouldn’t say whether the new Focus small car introduced yesterday at the show would underpin future Volvos. Volvo’s S40 is built on the mechanical foundation of the Ford Focus now sold in Europe.

Ford put Volvo up for sale in late 2008 to finish unloading overseas luxury brands and focus on its namesake division. Geely is offering about $2 billion, less than a third of what Ford paid a decade ago, people familiar with the bid have said.

Geely, which is privately held, was China’s 10th-largest automaker based on 2009 sales. Ford said last month that the sale of Volvo might be completed by June.

To contact the reporters on this story: Keith Naughton in Detroit at +1-248-827-2941 or Knaughton3@bloomberg.net: Cathy Chan in Hong Kong at +852-2977-6629 or kchan14@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jamie Butters at +1-248-827-2944 or jbutters@bloomberg.net; Philip Lagerkranser at +852-2977-6626 or lagerkranser@bloomberg.net"

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