Ford considers sale of Volvo, despite integration

Ford is "at least considering the sale of Volvo if not seeking a buyer," according to a report by trade publication Automotive News. Volvo began losing money this year due to a weak dollar and slowing sales. There's speculation Ford might sell the Swedish automaker before losses begin to mount.

Any sale poses a major problem for Volvo, because the next-generation V70, XC70, XC50, and S60 are all expected to use Ford's midsize EUCD platform. Volvo has an aggressive plan in place to revive its slowing sales, but it's held hostage to the problems at Ford. Presumedly, Ford would have to allow any potential buyer of the Volvo company to use Ford platforms until a new architecture was developed.