Ford could back out of Volvo sale

Ford and Geely are meeting in London this week to try to resolve the US automaker’s concerns about sharing technology and future product plans, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are private. Without an accord, Ford may opt to keep the Swedish unit, where losses are narrowing and sales are improving, the people said.

Ford, the only major US automaker to avoid bankruptcy, put Volvo on the block in December as it shed overseas luxury lines to focus on its namesake brand. Geely, China’s biggest private automaker, is offering about $2 billion, less than a third what Ford paid a decade ago, people familiar with the talks have said.

“Volvo is completely integrated into Ford’s product development strategy, and Ford should be concerned about where its vehicle architectures will end up,’’ said Michael Robinet, a CSM Worldwide analyst in Michigan.

Any buyer would gain insight into Ford’s future products, the people said. Ford wants assurances that Geely will keep new-model blueprints secret, the people said. Without those guarantees, Ford is prepared to put off plans to sell Volvo because the unit’s prospects are improving and it might command a better price when the economy recovers, the people said.

Geely didn’t immediately comment.